Huh… flat… sort of makes you wonder what shape your abs will be in when the New Year rolls around. 

Well, my friend, here is what I know about flat abs and the holidays: You have a choice, right here, right now, to join 1 of 2 distinctive camps. You can either pick Camp “Lucky If I Only Gain 5 pounds” or Camp “Gonna Get Buff Anyway.” (Both run 92 days, from October 1 through December 31, so depending on when you are reading this, you have a few weeks to decide… )

Let’s review the amenities package for each and see which Camp suits you best:

What You Will Do At Camp Lucky:

Decide: At Camp Lucky, you will allow life to tug you in a dozen different directions as the whole shopping, baking, traveling, decorating, wrapping, partying season kicks into full gear.

Eat Everything In Sight: You’ll be free to say “yes” to every love offering, from pecan pie, to holiday champagne, to Pizza at the food court. At Camp Lucky, what’s the use in trying to be good anyway?

Make Excuses: You’ll be free to give up on the idea of making it to the gym. With all the added travel, shopping, partying and eating, nobody has time for 45 minutes of spin class, right?

Adopt a “Why Bother” Mentality:  Lucky you. You get to mindlessly grab yet another holiday Snickers from the front desk, gobble down your third sugar cookie from the lunch room, and drink unlimited cups of eggnog at the company Christmas party.

What you can expect:

•    Pull those big sweaters out of the attic - the ones with plenty of room to spare - and be thankful that the fashion industry has decided that leggings are back in style.

•    Dig out that sports jacket you got from Dad - the one you can button without sucking it in. And, while you’re at it, don’t forget those expandable waistline Docker's. What a great invention!

•    Search high and low for the perfect black dress - perfect meaning it actually fits over your hips and zips up. Just throw a shawl over your shoulders and no one will notice the extra inches.

•    Look forward to another company party where you hope no one notices a few slurred words or that nutty dance you do when you’ve had a few too many martinis.

•    Swear off all mirrors, dressing rooms, photographers, and bathroom scales.

What You Will Do At Camp Buff

Decide: At Camp Buff, you will start by pulling out your calendar and creating a general game plan. Get organized by addressing the best times for shopping, cooking, entertaining and decorating over the next 3 months. Then set a tentative plan in anticipation of parties, travel, and other events. Blocking out and charting specific days and weekends to get things done will help you see that, with just a few exceptions, the holidays aren’t that much different from any other time of year.

Eat With Intention: Join this Camp and you will decide which days will be “yes” days – yes to treats, parties, and pumpkin pie - and which will be “no thank you” days (or “thank you, I’ll have it later” days.) This gives you the power to accept any treats that come your way, but YOU get to decide how and when you will enjoy them. Go for 1 “yes” day every 6 to 10 days (this gives you a total of 8-10 opportunities to eat whatever you like over the next 3 months… Sweet!)

Just Do It: Forget Boot Camp! That’s overkill anyway. At Camp Buff, all you need is 15-25 minutes per day. You might choose to take a brisk walk or jog every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, do 3 sets of squats every Tuesday, and 3 sets of counter push ups every Thursday. This is a workout schedule that can be done no matter where the holidays take you – no special equipment required!

Adopt An “It Can Be Done” Mentality: Thousands of folks have proven that incredible changes can be made in as little as 90 days and, honestly, it doesn’t really matter where on the calendar those 90 days fall.  4 habits will determine your success, no matter what the season: 

• Plan ahead - decide you won’t let a few holidays destroy your chances of changing the way your body looks and feels. 
• Pack your food and carry it everywhere. Having healthy alternatives to tempting snacks and offerings is critical to getting through your “no thank you” days.
• Sweat a little every day – how much you sweat isn’t as important as how often you do it!
• Celebrate and let loose at least 1 day a week. Your body and mind will thank you!

Plan - Pack - Sweat - Celebrate... pretty simple.

What you can expect:

•    A loss of between 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per week (that’s 12 pounds by New Years)

•    Move down 1 to 2 sizes

•    Feel confident, energized, and in control

•    Get a head start on the most popular New Year’s resolution

•    Join the elite group of less than 1% who actually lose during the holidays

•    Inspire others

So, which is it going to be?

About the Author:

Dianne Orwig is a success coach, motivational speaker, fitness trainer, and founder of LivingFit Online™, a fitness program that has helped thousands of men and women completely transform their bodies and live healthier, happier lives though her less-is-better approach.

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