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Fitness Topics
Eight Sure-Fire Steps to Beating the Holiday Bulge
What a wonderful time the holidays are. It's a season of joy, giving and plenty of partying. It's also the one time of the year when it's acceptable to bend the rules of proper nutrition and exercise - or is it? What may appear to be a benign respite for healthful living is actually a primary cause for creeping weight-gain, and in some cases, obesity
While I, myself, believe in enjoying some of the less healthful foods and desserts during the holidays, there is a limit. What must be recognized is that it doesn't take much abuse of overindulging to sabotage the hard-earned results attained during a year of healthful living. Granted, many of you have no choice but to attend a multitude of obligatory business and social parties. My answer to that? No excuses!
Even if you have 50 parties to attend between Thanksgiving and New Year's, each and every calorie put into your body was put there by you, not your boss, your clients, nor any of your co-workers. That's right: not even grandma's secret recipe can be blamed. In a nutshell, although you may not have much choice as far as attending social and/or business functions, you do have choices as to what to do once you're there.
Compounding the problem of holiday binging, many people fall off of their usual workout program due to greater scheduling demands. In general, there is an apparent link between a reduction in exercise and an inability to maintain a healthful diet. Particularly during the holidays, it can be much more devastating to stop exercising. Regular exercise heightens body awareness, and with such a mind-body link, people who exercise on a regular basis have a stronger desire to eat healthfully. It almost becomes automatic. So, with enough determination, a quick visit to the gym can always be squeezed in — even short workouts of 20 to 30 minutes can make a huge difference.
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Here are a few guidelines on how to enjoy your holidays while battling the holiday bulge:
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As always, be sure to eat light, frequent meals and/or snacks, every 3 to 4 hours.
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Plan a hearty, healthy breakfast. Ideal options are: oatmeal (avoid instant) sweetened only with fresh raisins and/or sliced bananas; whole-grain cereals; fruits and whole-grain toast; egg white omelet; fat-free, sugar-free muffins.
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Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
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Eat fruit one hour before parties.
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While at a party, be mindful of what you eat. Load up on garden salads and fruits.
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Prior to each party, take long, brisk walks of 20 minutes or more.
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Schedule workouts on the days following celebrations; maintaining as much of your normal routine as possible is crucial.
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Have fun and treat yourself, but in moderation. Allow yourself only one time per week to go off your diet.
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Follow as many of the guidelines as you need; it's not a question of all or none. If you've been living far off of a healthful path, then address several of the more problematic issues. The more serious you are about being shapely and healthy, the more you'll need to incorporate these suggestions.
So, be festive and enjoy the energy of the holiday spirit, but do so with a conscientious effort to maintain health and fitness in the process. You may actually find the holidays are much more enjoyable when experienced in a more shapely and energetic body!
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