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The days are getting shorter and colder which means winter is on the way. Along with winter come the Thanksgiving dinners and all of the parties for Christmas and New Year's.

How can someone stay on a diet or keep from gaining weight during the holidays? Due to the weather it is tough to get outside and exercise. You also have all of the temptations of the holidays.

I know when winter comes I just basically want to stay inside and eat. So what do I do to try and maintain my weight?

First of all, I set a weight limit. I usually stay around 162 pounds in the simmer so I set a limit of 170 for the winter. As long as I stay under 170 I am okay. That gives me some leeway to enjoy the holidays and not feel so guilty. If my weight does reach 170 then I have to get aggressive and watch extremely closely what I eat. I also have to increase my exercise schedule.

I keep track of my weight on a regular basis. I have an official weigh in 2 times per week. It is important to weigh in at the same time each time you weigh in. I have discovered that you weigh less at 7:30 in the morning than you do at 7:30 in the evening; consequently, I weigh in around 7:15-7:30 in the morning.

You also need to set up an exercise schedule and stick with it. Actually in the winter you need to increase your exercise schedule. In the summer, I walk every morning. I then have various other activities such as mowing the yard, golfing and various other chores and activities that help me burn off calories. In the winter I don't have those kinds of activities so I try to exercise at least 3 evenings a week as well as walk on the treadmill every morning.

There are several good ways to exercise. Personally I use a treadmill but you could use an exercise bike, elliptical machine or rowing machine. I see advertising for Bow Flex machines all of the time as well as other types of equipment. There are also some great exercise videos available. I personally like the Leslie Sansoon "Walk Away the Pounds" videos. You just need to find what you like and what you can afford. It may be as simple as finding an exercise program on TV.

It is also important to stick with your diet. You need to watch what you eat even though you are giving yourself some leeway for that holiday festivities. It still isn't a good idea to eat an entire apple pie, just have a small piece.

I have learned through my wife that the Weight Watchers' core plan is an excellent plan especially in the winter months. My wife has been on Weight Watcher's and struggles somewhat when she uses the point system. When she uses the core system she has much more success. I suggest that at least for the winter you try either the Weight Watchers' core plan or some similar type of diet.

Remember the less weight you gain during the winter means the less weight you will have to lose in the summer. Good luck and let's all stay healthy!

Learn more about this author, Art West.
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