This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and the makers of alli® weight loss aid. All opinions are mine alone. #alliInMyLife #Final #CollectiveBias

The past couple of months, I’ve been sharing my weight loss journey with you here. I have to admit, as excited as I’ve been about the results I’ve been seeing, I had my fears with the holidays approaching that I’d struggle to maintain my weight loss. But I remembered some foolproof ways that I’ve tried in the past– and succeeded– to keep the weight off, or even lose more weight, during the holiday season. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s coming up, there are plenty of ways you’ll be tested, but there’s also plenty of ways that you can fight back towards continuing your journey!

Keep Snacks with You

Pop quiz: You’ve gone out to shop til you drop on Black Friday, and you’re starting to get a little hungry, which is making you a little cranky, which is making holiday shopping really difficult. What do you do?

If you answered “head to the nearest fast food place,” you’re answering the way I’ve answered most years in the past… I’ve shopped, and shopped, and shopped, and then I’ve found the nearest fast food place to refuel before doing it all over again.

Not only does it not keep you feeling full, but it really doesn’t help refuel you in the right way. A better option is to keep snacks on hand when you’re out shopping. Simply snag a snack when leaving the house– a container of grapes, a handful of nuts, or a cheese stick, for example– and snack on that when you’re getting hungry/angry. It’ll tide you over until you can eat something a little better for you at home, and it’ll prevent those quick fast food urges that you might get while you’re out shopping. Plus, if the snack is already in your bag, you can munch in the checkout line… which, let’s be honest, is probably crazy anyway!

Exercise on the Go

One of the biggest challenges when you go away for the holidays is that it’s super hard to exercise. If you’re one to go to the gym, it can be hard being out of town and being away from your gym. And if you work out at home, well, you’re not likely to want to lug any of your equipment with you, even if you stick to hand weights and things like that. Luckily, most of us keep our smartphone with us most of the time, and all you have to do is a quick search for “no equipment workout” and hundreds or thousands of choices will appear!

If you’re not sure that you’ll have access to internet or phone signal, you’ll want to be sure to print off your favorite no-equipment workout moves so you know how to find them when you’re away from home. That way, you’re sticking to your workout routine!

Skip Drinks when You Can

Sweet tea is always a staple of family holiday dinners. Whether it’s 4th of July or Thanksgiving, my family does a lot of sweet tea. And while it’s okay to indulge sometimes, drinking glass after glass isn’t a good way to set yourself up for success. Skip the drinks altogether and stick with water, or have one small glass and switch to water, and you’ll feel a lot better, especially if you’ve been sticking to water a lot lately. Sometimes throwing something new in can give you a bit of a jolt. If you want to be sure you’re getting enough water, you can always DIY a water intake glass and bring it with you!

Split the Dessert

When you have someone to keep you accountable, you do a lot better. Ask a friend or family member to be your accountability partner this season, and help you stay on track with workouts, meals, and making sure you don’t go nuts with the indulgences, and you can, in turn, help them. One effective way to do this is pick someone you’ll actually be spending the holidays with– that way you can make healthier choices together.

I’m not saying not to indulge– it is the holidays– but keep your nutritional goals in mind when selecting what you’ll be eating, and consider splitting dessert with your accountability partner instead of taking a whole piece. If you share a piece of the pie or cake or whatever dessert is offered, you’ll be more likely to tame your desire for it, while still making sure you have a good “stopping point.” (Plus, it’s a lot harder to justify that second piece if your accountability partner is sticking to their plan… so pick someone you know won’t encourage you!)

Remember Your alli Weight loss Aid

One effective way to stay on track is to remember to take your alli® (orlistat 60mg capsules) weight loss aid. When you’re mindful that your meals are on track and you’re working out and getting plenty of water, taking your alli® weight loss aid is the next best step. When packing to leave town for a few days, you want to be sure to bring enough for the time you’ll be gone. If you’re just going to be away from home for the day, use the alli® weight loss aid shuttle that came in the Starter Kit to pack 3 doses so you won’t miss a capsule at any meal. If you want to be sure you’re staying on track with taking your alli® weight loss aid, working out, and more, there are some great bullet journal layouts to help you track it!

I talked to my doctor about whether or not alli® weight loss aid would be a good fit for me, and had my orthopaedist help me find a workout routine that would fit my needs so I could be sure I was working out regularly. From there, it’s as simple as making sure my meals stay under 15 grams of fat in them… at those meals, I take my alli® weight loss aid, up to 3 times a day, and I’m always sure to take a multivitamin at bedtime.

In the past few months, I’ve felt a lot better and a lot more confident, and I’ve even lost weight that I thought I was never going to get off. It’s taken some effort on my part to make sure I’m sticking to my diet and exercising, plus remembering to take my alli® weight loss aid, but it’s helped me shed the weight a little bit easier.

See, alli® weight loss aid works by blocking 25% of the fat you eat from being absorbed into your body, so when you take it while sticking to low-fat meals and consistent exercise, you can lose a little extra weight on top of the weight you’d be losing from diet and exercise alone– about 2-3 extra pounds for every 5-10 you’re losing from your hard work!* It’s the only FDA approved over the counter weight loss aid, and trust me, it really does help. I picked my alli® weight loss aid up at Walmart, but you can find it at your local drugstore or superstore. For me, seeing the extra pounds come off as I’ve put in effort and energy has been a good motivator to help me keep going. As someone who has yo-yo dieted and not stuck with diets on and off my entire life, knowing that I am seeing those extra pounds come off is something that has acted as a motivator for me, which is why I love alli® weight loss aid– it takes my own efforts, and enhances them so I’m seeing just a little bit extra, results-wise.

The holidays can make life a little bit trickier… but if you’re packing snacks to help you avoid less healthy options, making sure to exercise even when you’re not at home, and taking your alli® weight loss aid regularly, you will thrive during the holidays. Maybe you’ll even see yourself shedding a few pounds during the holiday season when everyone else is feeling the holiday bloat!

What is your best tip or trick for staying on track during the holidays? Let me know in the comments below! Don’t forget, you can also learn more about alli® weight loss aid on their website, or get tips and tricks through other bloggers who are trying it as well!

*alli® (orlistat 60mg capsules) is for weight loss in overweight adults, 18 years and older, when used along with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet. Follow label directions. In studies, most people lost 5-10 pounds over 6 months