Between Halloween, Thanksgiving and all the December holidays, there's plenty of opportunity to add extra calories to our diets, but experts say it doesn't have to have a big impact on our bodies.
Starting with Halloween and the sugary candy constantly in our faces — trainers at Workout Anytime in Virginia Beach say burning off one candy bar can take several minutes of working out:
- Full-size Twix bar: 6 minutes of continuous kettlebell swings
- Fun-size package of Peanut M&M’s: 83 burpees
- Hershey’s milk chocolate bar: 9 minutes of jumping jacks
Then you move into November and all the comfort meals leading up to big Thanksgiving meals, followed by Christmas and the December holidays.
Harvard Medical School says keeping routines and movement through the end of the year can help in avoiding weight gain, including:
- Keep to your meal routine. Try to eat at roughly the same times each day.
- Go reduced-fat. Choose low-fat foods when possible.
- Walk off the weight. Aim for 10,000 steps each day.
- Pack a healthy snack. Choose fresh fruit or low-calorie yogurt instead of chocolate or chips.
- Look at the labels. Check food labels for fat and sugar content.
But also keep in mind, the goal isn't to burn off every calorie. Eating and eating well is so important to our overall health, but adding in a little movement can help manage all the big, delicious meals to come over the next two months.
