Tips from Celebrity Trainers on Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

It's incredibly difficult to see magazines, TV shows, movies, and pictures online that show our favorite actors and actresses looking fit and trim.  Unfortunately, for us, we don't have their personal trainers, they're flexible work schedules or the tips and tricks to looking so good.  Oh wait!  Now we do! I found some tidbits from a few trainers who either work with certain celebs or work at the gyms they frequent, even during the holiday season.

Mandy Ingber is a yoga instructor based in Los Angeles.  She is the same instructor that gives Jennifer Aniston and Helen Hunt their yoga workouts.  Ingber's tip is that she limits any sweets and treats she eats to those that are homemade -- which eliminates a lot of holiday candy and so forth that are packaged.

.

.

Harley Pasternak is the host of ABC's "The Revolution."  He has trained such starts as Megan Fox, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna.  I would say he's got a good track record by the looks of it!  Pasternak says to park your car three blocks away from the holiday party you're going to.  That way you have to walk three blocks each direction, burning lots of calories.  Another recommendation he made was to eat your vegetables first and then any meat.

.

.

.

Trainer Gunnar Peterson, trains Kim Karadashian and Sofia Vergara.  He also trained Jennifer Lopez, right after she had her twins , to train for a triathlon.  He recommends the earlier the better to get your workout out of the way.  Then you'll set yourself up to make better choices throughout the day.  (Which I've found is huge for me!)  Getting up early to workout will also make you go home earlier, getting a good night sleep, just so you can get up early again the next day and workout again.  Peterson also said if you can find a workout partner during the six week stretch of holidays, then you guys can each motivate one another to stay on a regimen and not quit too early on.

.

.

Finally, Bobby Strom, celebrity trainer for Britney Spears and Jessica Biel, says allow yourself one cheat meal a week, including the week of Christmas.  However, he says to keep in mind that Christmas is just one meal, "not a three day long event."  Strom also says that about how hard that piece of cake is going to be to work off and whether it's worth the calories.  Maybe a bowl of pretzels would make a better alternative that will save you a lot of time at the gym in the end.