Save the weight loss goal for January. Tis the season for irresistible holiday appetizers and cookie exchanges! My goal this time of year is simply to maintain my current weight. How do I avoid packing on the holiday pounds? With a few simple tricks:

1. Make time for exercise. Okay, so that one seems obvious. But with the sun setting so early this time of year, and all the extra “to-do’s” on my list (shopping, baking, and of course, travelling) it can be really easy to make up excuses for missing my usual workout routine. Put it on the calendar and make it a priority!
2. Don’t indulge on an empty stomach. Before I attend any holiday soiree, I make sure I eat something before leaving my house. I recommend a smoothie, made with coconut oil and a little handful of spinach (I promise you won’t even notice it!) That way, I’m not stuffing my face with bacon-wrapped shrimp the moment I arrive. I’ll still try one (and it will be delicious!) but I won’t be so famished that I eat every 300 calorie appetizer in sight.
3. Try substituting the butter in your favorite holiday cookie recipe with extra virgin coconut oil (hint: this month, we are featuring a different holiday cookie every week, so you’ll have plenty to choose from.) The plant-based fats in coconut oil are much healthier for you than the animal fats in butter, and they still make a luscious cookie or flaky pie crust!

Hope this helps. Enjoy the holidays!

-AM