Good Girls Gone Bad

 In a perfect world, we would effortlessly juggle our daily responsibilities and the hustle bustle of the season, without missing a beat.  In my world, however, things don't always run so smoothly this time of year.  While I won't say that the damage is insignificant (I am a bit of a stickler about staying on track!), there are ways to minimize the consequences.  Read on for a collection of my full-proof, lifesaving tips on sidestepping the most common pitfalls of the Holidays. Bad Girl Behavior: With year-end deadlines, and a packed social calendar, your sweat sessions are becoming a distant memory. Good Girl Fix: Ease up- but just a little!  Rather than setting yourself up for disappointment by trying to make dramatic gains, plan to maintain in December.  Don't skip the gym altogether, or you risk losing not only muscle, but also momentum.  Instead, switch to a functional training style that allows you to work all your muscles in minimal time.  This will keep you in your groove, while still allowing for a few extra minutes of shut-eye. Bad Girl Behavior: You know you'll want to indulge in decadent party treats, so you don't eat all day in preparation. Good Girl Fix: Restricting calories throughout the day in order to [over]indulge at night is the worst thing you can do to your waistline!  Your blood sugar will be so low at that point, you can virtually bet on a carrot being stored as fat, let alone all those savory finger foods.  Eat!!!  Eat all day long, including just before you go!  Scale your portions back a bit, and skip the carbs, but give your body a steady supply of fuel.  When you get to the party,   survey the scene.  Pick a few things that look too good to pass up, and dig in.  Because you've kept your metabolism stoked throughout the day, you're more efficiently burning, rather than storing, those extra calories.  Then step away from the buffet, go out and mingle; it is a party after all. Bad Girl Behavior: You stay out until the wee hours, and are so exhausted that you collapse into bed and completely skip your skincare. Good Girl Fix The skin around our eyes can age up to 14 days for every night we sleep with makeup on!  I suggest keeping a stash of makeup remover towelettes within arms reach of your bed.  At the very least you'll be able to wipe off makeup before you conch out.  What to do if you wake up puffy the morning after?  First, wash your face with gentle soap and water.  Next wrap two ice cubes in a thin towel and rest them over your eyes for 10 minutes.  This will remove redness and swelling.  Follow up with an eye cream that contains caffeine or ginseng, and your eyes won't betray the fun you had! Bad Girl Behavior: Between shopping, cooking, entertaining, and all the other small miracles we perform in December, you are Completely.Stressed.Out. Good Girl Fix: It sounds trite, but try to stay conscious of what this time of year truly represents.  It's not an exam, to be either passed or failed.  We get so wrapped up in the end point that we rob ourselves of the feel-good potential of the process.  We neglect our health, don't sleep or eat properly, and wonder why this festive time feels anything but.  Stop the insanity at all costs!  Politely decline an invitation, let another mom bake the cupcakes at school this year, whatever it takes to keep yourself in balance.  Never underestimate the power of a night in with a good book!  Bringing a happy, refreshed YOU to the table, trumps any amount of panicked prep work you can do. I hope these tips help you to have a happy and healthy holiday season!    With a little flexibility,  it is possible to stay on track, have some fun and not spend all of January making up for it! Erin stays busy pursuing her own fitness goals, and helping to educate and inspire those she loves to live healthier lives.  A hair stylist by trade, she manages a salon, and is chipping away at a degree, ultimately in dietetics and kinesiology.  She lives in South Florida with her husband and a “pound puppy” named Pedro.