2 Weeks to Thanksgiving: Your Shape-Up Plan

Published November 13, 2014 01:00PM

There’s nothing better than heading into a holiday and feeling your very best. Big results don’t happen overnight, but these tips and tricks will help you feel lighter, healthier, and even more confident before Thanksgiving! Here’s our doable two-week plan that will help you see (and more importantly, feel) real results.

Keep It Clean
The number one way to feel better in a short period of time? Clean up your diet. Get started by replacing processed grub with natural, minimally processed ingredients. When in doubt, opt for natural whole foods with ingredients you can pronounce!

Treating yourself is absolutely necessary for sustainable success — especially over the holidays — but cleaning up your diet for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving will help you feel your best and indulge freely once the big day rolls around.

Cut Back on the White Stuff
According celebrity trainers Chris and Heidi Powell, there’s a simple way to change the body instantly and beat belly bloat. If you’re consuming too much salt and sugar, a strong core can be covered up by a “layer of water and potentially a layer of fat,” Heidi says.

Here is the pair’s concrete rule to banish bloat quickly: get sodium intake down to 1,500 milligrams per day and cut sugar down to 20 grams. Eliminating excessive amounts of these belly-bloating culprits allows your body to naturally shed water weight and reveal all your hard work from the gym. Once you make this shift in your diet, Chris says you’ll see an immediate change and experience instant gratification — a true rarity in the health and fitness world!

Take Advantage of the Morning
Darker mornings and colder temperatures may have held you back in the past, but there’s no reason this cycle needs to continue this Fall. Instead of falling victim to all those excuses after work, start your day off on a healthy high note with a workout. Not a morning person? Here are some morning workout tips and tricks that can make everyone’s experience even easier.

Stay Hydrated
Most people already know that drinking water in Summer’s heat is important, but getting yourself to drink enough water when the weather cools off is a different story. Staying hydrated through the cooler months can suppress your appetite, keep your skin looking gorgeous, and even boost your metabolism. To double the detoxifying power of your glass, try these even better water additions.

Eat Seasonal and Filling Foods
Eating seasonally is an amazing way to support your body’s health. Lucky for us, lots of Fall’s fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, one of the most important components that make a whole food satisfying. You can opt for a a full day of clean eats to support your goals, like this detox menu, or simply start incorporating these Fall weight-loss foods like apples, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes into your diet.

Back Off Booze
Alcohol is full of empty calories and tons of sugar, which can mess with all the hard work you put in with eating clean and working out. Keep the booze to a minimum, and opt for an all-natural mocktail or a healthy nightcap until the holidays roll around.

Even if you’re feeling motivated, take whatever temptation you can out of the equation. If you have a standing date with friends at a neighborhood watering hole, ask if you can hit up a new healthy restaurant or juice bar instead. A new environment will help you stay on course until you head back home for the holidays. No matter how much willpower you have, when everyone else is sipping at the table, it’s tough to say no to a drink.

Get To Bed
Sleep is precious, and when you’re trying to look and feel your best, it is even more of a necessity. Sleep resets your body and keeps your immune system strong, so you can stave off cold-weather bugs and infections. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep every night, and maintain an environment that is between 60 and 68°F in your bedroom for the best quality sleep possible. This way, you’ll show up at home feeling refreshed and ready to connect with your loved ones.