I am so excited to celebrate Christmas with my family this year and to savor every moment of the holiday. I love seeing my whole family and spending the day celebrating with everyone. And who doesn’t love waking up to a beautifully lit Christmas tree on Christmas morning? It’s my favorite. It is important, though, to keep in shape during this time of year and not to let our health and fitness goals go by the wayside. There are only a few actual “holidays” within the next few weeks and there are still plenty of other days to get in a good sweat. Today I wanted to share some of my tips on keeping fit during this holiday season. Let’s get a kickstart on those New Year’s resolutions, right?!

1. Make a plan.
Know what days you have what going on and at what times. If you have a holiday party at 5pm, you still have plenty of time to get in a workout in the morning. If you are having family over for Christmas Eve, take that day as a rest day from working out, but make sure you are working out other days throughout the holidays. Schedule your workouts and do not let yourself skip them, act as if they are appointments you can not miss.

2. Keep moving.
Keep active throughout this busy season. Having an all-day Christmas movie marathon is perfectly fine (and tons of fun!) but still try to keep active. Get up and move around between breaks and try to burn calories. Don’t forget that sometimes the smallest of activities burn calories! Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, and ice skating are all perfect ways to celebrate the season and not let your physical activity fall to the wayside. My best advice: get right out of bed and do your BootyCall workout before the day begins. Your metabolism will thank you all day.

3. Eat normally.
Even if you are having a big holiday dinner later in the day, still plan on eating breakfast and lunch as you would on any other day. Portion the meals a little bit smaller, but still eat. This way you will not be starving by the time your holiday dinner begins and you won’t be tempted to eat everything in sight.

4. Splurge when it’s worth it.
Are those store-bought cookies really worth it? Probably not. Homemade treats and special foods are worth the splurge during this time of year. Save your splurges for what will satisfy you and skip out on the foods available all year long.

5. Keep up with social networks.
My Twitter and Instagram accounts keep me accountable and motivated. Even during busy times, I always try to check in with my social networks. It is also great to see how other people are doing during this time. You may not feel motivated to go for a run after that holiday brunch, but seeing others do it just may motivate you. Peer pressure for the win.

6. Make “you” time.
It is difficult to find time for ourselves during the holiday season when we are super busy visiting with others, but make sure to take some time to focus on yourself. Take some time each day to do something for you. Take a walk, take a bubble bath, make some hot cocoa and sit next to the Christmas tree, read, practice yoga, etc. Just do what makes you happy.

7. Focus on family.
Holiday gatherings always seem to revolve around the food. Spend your holiday gatherings away from the food table and enjoy all the other aspects of this holiday season. Of course, eat the food, but don’t let that be all you do this holiday season. Focus on family, friends, happiness, and love.

Don’t forget: It’s all about moderation. Treat yo’self if you’ve done what you can to keep healthy this holiday season. It is a time of celebration after all!

*This post was originally published on Brie’s blog, Lean, Clean, and Brie. For more from Brie, visit www.leancleanandbrie.com.