By JANE CLAPP

Get on the path to new year’s evolution and avoid weight gain over the holidays.  When you think of the holidays coming, do you automatically see yourself emerging in January with a fortified determination to lose the weight you’ve gained over the holidays? 
 
Do you see yourself at holiday parties and family dinners gorging yourself to the point of self-loathing or even just indulging beyond what you know is reasonable?  Do you anticipate the pressure from family members to over do it on the food front without a strong enough will to set boundaries with people who love you through food?
 
Maybe you see yourself getting a little tipsy at every single holiday party and plan on a hard-core cleanse in January. I offer you a quote that is a guiding principle for my life and one I always bring into my weight loss and health coaching at Urbanfitt.
 
“The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.” - Frank Lloyd Wright 
If we believe losing weight or keeping it off is going to be next to impossible, our behaviours and choices will reflect this belief. 
 
I offer you an alternative vision of the holidays:  The ability to enjoy the sensual pleasures of the holidays within reason by raising our self-awareness and consciousness about our moment- to-moment choices. 
 
1) See yourself after the holidays at the same weight you are now:
You need to BELIEVE it’s possible to maintain weight over the holidays for this to become a reality.
 Write this down somewhere: “I can be healthy and maintain my weight over the holidays and still enjoy myself.”
 
Read it every morning and believe it!
 
2) Savour your food:
 Savoring your favourite foods with people you love means experiencing them fully.   Put your fork down between bites and take at least 20 minutes to finish what’s on your plate.   Eating until I feel bloated and lethargic isn’t fun to me.  I can’t engage with people around me as fully.  I don’t do seconds unless it’s veggies.  Neither should you. ;)
 
3) Anticipate your challenges:
Showing up at a cocktail party starving is a big no no.  First you can’t see how much you’re eating to get a sense for portions if you’re nibbling all night.   Second, the calorie dense food at cocktail parties isn’t meant to be a meal.  Make sure you eat something healthy before you go to a cocktail party and find the veggie tray (sans dip please).  Have a few of your favourite nibblies then stop. 
 
4) Watch the liquid calories:
If you’re tipsy you’re more likely to lose self control.  Be conscious of this ahead of time!  Set a drink limit before you arrive and sip.  

5) Don’t press pause on your fitness:
What better way to burn off the stress of extra family time (if you get more stressed around family) then to go for a walk or use your more flexible holiday work schedule to get to the gym. Check out all the workouts I’ve posted on iVillage for home workout alternatives. 
 
Use the time over the holidays to get on your path to New Year’s EVOLUTION.  Change your thoughts and beliefs and your results will reflect your internal world!

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Jane Clapp has been involved in the fitness industry for almost two decades. Her life passion is to help women realize their physical and emotional strength with holistic and realistic fitness strategies. She offers personal and group training at Urbanfitt, her fitness studio in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter @ihearttosweat