“Your mind will always fail before your body…keep pushing. I guarantee you can do more than you ever thought possible.” – My College Tennis Coach

Yesterday I read an alarming statistic, and it really hit home for me. It revealed that the average holiday weight gain over the next month (Jan to Feb) is between 8 and 10 lbs. Yes, that’s a little over 2lbs per week.

Now for some reason most people will accept this, and just make a “resolution” to change it. If you are reading this then I sure hope that is not your intention.

I tell all my clients and athletes that we know it’s going to be difficult- but if we let our “why” dictate the choices we make, we will be ok.

Here are 3 awesome ways to get through the next month without gaining that unwanted chub, and losing muscle.

1. Clearly define your goals.
This appears near the top of every program I make, and with good reason. If you don’t know exactly what you want this season, then you will take what you get. What you get is typically processed foods, cookies and cakes, oh and 8- 10 lbs.

It doesn’t matter what your goal is, whether it’s becoming faster on the field, better performance overall or just to maintain through this month, set your goal and hold yourself accountable to it. Make sure you're monitoring it on a weekly basis to ensure you're on track.

If you feel you're slipping, tell someone. Make them hold you accountable. The effect of goal setting on any kind of performance sets you up for success.

This brings me to my next point.

2. Be Prepared
Preparation is key. If you’re prepared then you will be successful.

This doesn’t only mean having the right food with you. It means knowing the situations you are getting into as well. If you know you’re going to be at a holiday party then you need to plan your day accordingly.

What time will you work out?

Will you get most of your healthy meals in beforehand?

What kind of food will be at the event?

A little bit of planning can go a long way. Sure it requires a bit of extra work , but well worth it in the end.

3. Crank the intensity up in the gym.  
Ok, so admittedly I hate those “lose that fat or get ripped, holiday workouts,” and the endless hours people spend in the gym. This is no good and will get into that in another article. However, I do believe that a little bit of extra intensity in the gym can go a long way in not only your results, but also in holding you accountable to stay on plan.

Try this workout and add it to your rotation.

Set 1 - 4 rounds

Barbell Squat x 8-10

Stability ball leg curl x 15

Alternating cable punches x 15 each

Band rows for speed x 30 sec

Set 2 – 4 rounds

One leg Bulgarian squat x 8 each leg

Stability ball pikes x 20

Bodyweight lateral lunges x 12 each

One arm lateral thrown x 8-10 each

DONE! No chance you want some cookies after this, and if you do, your metabolism might be able to handle them anyway.