5 Tips to Work off the Holiday Pounds

We all know that the holidays are the worst time to be on a diet. The endless selection of delectable food is sometimes too much to resist. SFGN spoke with local trainer and owner of Push Fitness, Peter Jackson to get his advice on how to make those extra holiday pounds go away.

1. Make Appointments With Yourself: Schedule time for fitness just as you would for attending important meetings. Block out your time for fitness in your daily planner first so that you make the time. Schedule exercise in at a time that makes sense and build your day around it.

2. Don't Diet - Make a Lifestyle Change: When you lose weight by following a calorie-restricted diet, you are not making a lifestyle change -- you are simply dieting. This makes it very difficult to keep lost weight off, because as soon as you start eating again the weight will return.

The ideal healthy diet is really not a diet but part of a fitness plan which includes exercise. When you eat right - that is, a diet comprised of a healthy balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables which will help your body work better -- you'll be surprised to see how much more you can eat following a healthy diet than one that is made up of fast food or lots of junk food.

3. Incorporate Exercise into Daily Routines: There are dozens of ways that you can squeeze in a short workout throughout the day. Some examples include using the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, parking at the other end of the parking lot when going shopping, and when you get home, bring in your shopping bags one at a time.

If you have your own office, you can even incorporate exercise equipment into your routine. Try sitting on an exercise ball, which will strengthen your abs and back while you work, or lifting dumbbells while you're on the phone. If you work in a cubicle and don't want to be seen with your exercise equipment, keep a couple of bottles of water in a drawer and use them as dumbbells when you can.

4. Hire a Certified Fitness Trainer: The guidance and support of a seasoned personal trainer is unbeatable as a prioritization strategy for fitness. A personal trainer will help you in innumerable ways by making exercise more enjoyable, more doable, providing ongoing information and support, structuring a fitness program tailor-made for you, and being a general source of motivation. The small investment is well worth the price.

5. Stay Positive: It's easy to lose your enthusiasm for working out shortly after you've begun. You may not see changes in your body soon after starting an exercise program and this can be very disheartening. While it's true that you might not see changes right away, you are making great strides in ensuring that your healthy lifestyle will have a positive impact on your health and your self confidence. Try keeping track of your progress and you'll see that, while you may not see changes overnight, the small changes will soon add up.

For more information on Peter Jackson and Push Fitness, please visit PushFitnessFTL.com.