Motivated by One Fabulous Party Frock

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.

Here's what I am going to do: I am going to go out this week and buy something amazingly fabulous to wear on New Year's Eve. I'm going to pick something that fits just right, that sparkles just so, and I'm going to hang that something fabulous in the front of my closet. It's going to be a daily reminder that six days after Christmas I can't be even an inch wider than I am today. Not even a centimeter.

But breaking even? Not an easy task when faced with Halloween candy followed by Thanksgiving dinner followed by Christmas cookies and hot apple cider. How is a girl supposed to break even when the holiday treats are piled high? Here's my plan:

Step One: Do a Preemptive Detox.

Step Two: Stick strictly to vegetarianism. That's right: no turkey, no gravy, no ham, no stuffing, no bacon-wrapped chestnuts. What's Thanksgiving without a turkey you ask? Well, it's sweet potatoes and homemade cranberries and butternut squash and fresh green beans and pumpkin soup and apple pie. It's all sorts of amazing fruit- and vegetable-based dishes. And, believe me, it's still pretty amazing.

Step Three: Walk. A lot. Walk with family and friends. Park the car as far from the mall entrance as possible (whenever I am forced to brave the mall anyway). Take brisk morning walks and walks downtown for coffee. Walk to the market to pick up a pumpkin. Walk to the post office to mail the holiday cards.

Step Four: Plan ahead for holiday travel. I'm the worst at exercising when I travel. Something about being in a hotel makes me want to climb in bed and turn on the television. I am going to remember to pack my running shoes in my luggage, choose hotels with a gym, and actually find thirty minutes to workout. In addition, I'll pack a small cooler with healthy snacks--apples, water, and Laughing Cow wedges, for example--so I don't end up eating cookies from the vending machine.

Step Five: Try on the dress. Once a week, I am going to try on my fabulous New Year's Eve frock and make sure it fits. When the fit is tight, I'll increase the workouts and pass on the pumpkin pie. When the fit is right, you can cut me another slice, please.

Now it's your turn - Share tip on staying fit during the holiday season and you could win a $150 Visa card! Please keep your comments G-rated as any profanity or offensive content will automatically disqualify you from sweepstakes entry. You should also Visit The Daily Dose of Well-Being hub to read helpful content each day and for weekly chances to win $100 at the Daily Dose of Well-Being. If you share a really great tip, we may even use it in The Daily Dose!

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Comments

[mami2jcn]

This holiday season I'm keeping a food diary and counting my calories so I don't lose control.

[mami2jcn]

tweeted-http://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/4287685459972096

[Michelle]

This holiday season I will be running around Disneyland with my nieces - the ultimate workout!

[Stephanie]

I like to drink ... a lot ... during the holidays. Festive cocktails, fabulous wine, and fattening eggnog are my faves. So, I'm planning on alternating drinks with a giant glass of water so I can feel fuller!! Hope it works :)

[Rachel]

Wear tight fitting clothing during holiday meals - it makes it much harder to gorge yourself when your waistband is digging into your tummy!

[Darcie]

Count my carbs as I am diabetic, eat lots of fresh everything in its naked state and laughing cow cheese is just that plain good and naked!

[ash]

I am going to exercise daily and have mini meals, so I can eat what I love!

[Tabathia B]

I never eat everywhere I go, have a cut off time on when to stop eating and try to walk (even up and down the stairs) daily
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

[Tabathia B]

tweeted
http://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/5145837533405184
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

[Eileen]

My main issue is to make sure I DO eat small meals throughout the day and not starve in order to pig out on those amazing holiday foods. For me, I have health issues that limit physical activity AND LOW blood sugar issues, so I have to be REALLY smart about the way I use food and not make it a feeding frenzy just because "it's a holiday" and OK to go hog wild! (Oink Oink!) NOT THIS YEAR! I am getting older (just hit 50 this month) and have noticed the changes in metabolism as you age...it is a PAIN to manage your meals instead of letting eating govern you, but great health takes WORK and dedication!

[Eileen]

tweeted this!

http://twitter.com/2sic2mooov/status/5152685477068800

thanks!

[Krissy M]

The best tip: avoid all those yummy dips at the holiday parties. The sour cream, mayo, and cream cheese really add up!

[Susan Smith]

I keep walking during the holidays. I don’t do a lot of baking so there aren’t a lot of temptations in the house. When I visit other people’s homes I try to drink a lot of water and fill up on proteins, fruits and vegetables and limit my servings of snacks and sweets

[Susan Smith]

http://twitter.com/susan1215/status/6011277872730113

[Georgia]

Don't eat so fast, enjoy what your eating and drink lots of water with it.

gmissycat at yahoo dot com

[Georgia]

Tweeted here too

http://twitter.com/gmissycat/status/6425959813091328

gmissycat at yahoo dot com

[Leah]

To stay fit during the holidays, I walk. A lot. It also helps with sanity. Thankfully, my parents have a beagle, so any time my brothers bug me I always say "wow, looks like Belle could use a walk!" and then I go walk the dog.

Rinse, repeat, and be happy when I don't gain any weight over the holidays.

Oh, and wii also helps. We got my parents a wii last year, and I am so looking forward to playing again this year.

[Kytah00]

I LOVE WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY BUT I TAKE MEDICATION RIGHT NOW THAT MAKES ME GAIN WEIGHT LIKE CRAZY AND IT'S TOO HARD FOR ME TO AVOID HOLIDAY TEMPTATIONS kytah00@yahoo.com

[Kytah00]

2ND ENTRY TWEET http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/6478700849668096 kytah00@yahoo.com

[Jean D.]

I practice a “two-thirds/one-third” rule for my dinner plate. The entree, regardless of what it is, can take up 1/3 of the plate. The remaining 2/3rds of the plate is filled with vegetables and fruit. This is a simple no-weighing no-measuring food plan that works to keep me fit year-round.

[Jean D.]

Tweeted you!
http://twitter.com/Ida_Sessions/status/6537885197012992

[Katie]

I'm going to continue with my running, racing and resistance training that has helped me lose 5lbs since the summer ended :)

[Kerry]

I try to not deprive myself of anything, otherwise I will eventually cave and really overdue it!

[Kerry]

tweeted: http://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/6889508377206786

[Cathy W]

Holidays are for having fun. Doesn't mean not getting exercise, but I'll probably over do and have to work a little harder later on.
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com

[Cathy W]

Tweet: http://twitter.com/cjwallace43/status/6967311986593792
cjwallace43 at gmail dot com

[Kathleen]

Concentrate on the great friends instead of the great food at holiday parties!

[Ali]

During the holidays I always try to keep my portions small, that way I get to enjoy the things that I love, but in moderation. I also try to chew gum while I'm cooking, which keeps me from snacking on everything I'm making,

[Katie]

Chase after my ever mobile toddler, trudge through the snow to get groceries, etc., and remind myself that I don't have to eat it all.at.once. (But give myself some wiggle room for the yummy holiday treats - it's all about balance, right??)

[Gwen]

I try to drink extra water throughout the day, and since it's dark so early, play Wii Fit or Wii Sports at night to make up for the lost hours that I'd otherwise try to spend outside.

[Dawn P.]

Two words. . . size up. Then you don't have to worry about it. You'll have to grow into your party dress instead of dieting at the holidays. Isn't that what New Years resolutions are for?

But seriously. . . my tip is to actually place your exercise bike or treadmill at home in front of a tv hooked up to a DVR. I record all of my favorite shows on that DVR and the only way I can watch my shows is to exercise. It's amazing how it changes a typical 30 minute workout to a 90 minute workout just so I can watch two one hour shows (turns out to be about 45 minutes a piece when you fast-forward throgh the commercials)!

[won]

One way to help is to eat six times a day. Small portions, more frequently.

It takes the edge off, so that I'm never so hungry I cave to the temptations.

[won]

http://twitter.com/#!/won2x/status/10061014703804416

[Judith]

Easy to follow, genuine advice, Sleep, regular healthy eating, hydrate, and exercise. Those are the main keys to a healthy life.

[Judith]

http://twitter.com/sodahoney/status/10068330970882048

[Jonathan]

My wife and I stay inside and play wii fit and occasionally do the 30 minute shred!

[Lisa Foster]

I have started taking my gym clothes to work and changing before I leave for the gym--it helps motivate me to go directly to my workout instead of stopping at home where I can be easily distracted and blow off my exercise.

[Lisa Foster]

http://twitter.com/#!/fostertam/status/11060029830467584

[Debra F]

My strategy for handling the holidays works pretty well for me. I know the days that there will be parties and family get togethers. I allow myself to indulge on those days, but on the remaining days, I am very strict with my intake....steering completely clear of sugar and most carbs.

[PauleyD]

My strategy is to stay healthy all year round and indulge around the holiday season. I like to work out and I tend to eat clean year round, so when the holidays roll around I don't feel bad about eating goodies.

pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com

[PauleyD]

http://twitter.com/lpauld68/status/11496880278085632

pauleyd68 (at) yahoo (dot) com

[Eve]

I keep calorie count and excercise more often

shopgurl101 at gmail dot com

[Eve]

http://twitter.com/shopgurl/status/11623155651059712

tweet

[Jill H]

I use the wii to dance with and stay fit and I'm not a big sweets eater so that's not really a problem. I just eat small portions of things I like so it works out pretty well.

Use an exercise that you love which will make it easier to stick with.

[Jill H]

Tweeted

http://twitter.com/jillyrh/status/11659516424757248

Thanks

[Shelly aka allysmama]

I eat smaller portions and drink lots of water! Exercise doing things I enjoy...dancing!
bleatham*at*gmail.com

[Shelly aka allysmama]

tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/statuses/11664149427781632
bleatham*at*gmail.com

[Elizabeth]

My plan is to keep up with my new running routine no matter what!

[Elyse]

Make sure to pack tennis shoes and workout clothes. If I'm dedicating precious space in my suitcase to those items, I WILL make use of them. Plus then I have no excuse for skipping a run. Or at least going to an intense walk.

[Megan]

Food diary, gym visits built into my schedule, and weekly weigh ins.

[Hope]

I make sure that I only have one decadent holiday drink a season. And then I sip it slowly so I can really enjoy it.

Then I up my gym time.

And cross my fingers.

[sherin]

walk, walk, and walk everywhere.

[Meaghen]

My tip is deciding what is worth splurging on and skipping the rest. I only want to have extras of those treats that I only get to have at the holiday season like Christmas Morning Wife Saver (so sexist, but very delicious) and Christmas cookies.

[Monica B]

Workout and make it a group effort! If you can get your chicas and familia involved it makes staying healthier during the holidays much more manageable. For Thanksgiving me and my dad and sister all did a 5K! Now I just need to find a little run for us all to do this month :)

[janet]

I like Jean's tip above.

Mine is to have every other drink be alcoholic, and the in between ones are plain fizzy/soda water.

[Stefani M.]

Realizing that my children are watching me and that I need to make a healthy example for them (and be healthy myself so that I can be a better mom for them).

[Jberthiaume.wordpress.com]

I mostly just give up around the holidays and worry about it later. It's all just too much for me to handle.

[elsimom]

I love this idea - it's its own built in reward!