Hey Blog-villers,
Well, its that time a year again when we notice a couple of trends here around the gym.
1. We notice a lot more inconsistency with clients making it to their personal training sessions or visits to the gym. This is to be expected due to the fact that many people will be traveling around the holidays to be with friends and families, and
2. People have a tendency to over-indulge during the holiday season and put on a couple of extra and unwanted pounds.
So, I offer you these simple tips to keep you on track with your health and fitness goals during this time of year.
1. Keep a food log: Many nutritionist recommend this, and research backs them up, that when you simply record what you eat on a daily basis you will lose weight faster. This is especially important during the holidays when we will be tempted by snacks and sweets common during the holidays.
2. Get out and walk: During the holidays people tend to travel more, which means people will get out of their routine of going to the gym to get their exercise. Walking is a great way to stay active when you are away from home and not able to go to the gym. Walking is low impact, burns calories, and and helps trigger many of our normal and important bodily function, such as digestion that will help us metabolize those holiday snacks and meals. Get a pedometer, they can be very inexpensive, and aim for at least 10,000 steps per day.
3. Holiday Parties!: We all have them this time of year, they are often unavoidable(office parties, thanksgiving parties, Christmas parties, etc..) You would never guess that I work in a health and fitness facility if you saw our break room this time of year. It is kind of embarrassing actually. We have many members that bring us cookies, cakes, snacks, and random goodies...... It is a thoughtful gesture of their appreciation for what we do and we appreciate it very much, however, I know how easy it is to "snack" more than normal this time of year. If you are hosting the party, provide the smaller "dessert" size plates for your guest to use. Bottom line is that with smaller plates you can't fit as much food on them! And if you are attending a party be sure to seek out the small plates and make a point to just fill this one plate up and be done.
4. Fill the Tank: Start your day of thanks with a fiber-filled breakfast. Fiber will take up more space in your stomach and keep you feeling full longer. Don't skip any meals because you know you are going to have a big Thanksgiving Day meal, eat normal throughout the day so you wont want a big meal!
5. Don't deprive yourself...moderation is the key: Treat yourself to the things you enjoy. Don't try to completely avoid all the treats you like, this often times can lead to over-eating when you do decide to enjoy them. Just "sample" the sweets and snacks. This takes a little will power, but if you just sample little portions of the "goodies" you will feel much better about yourself, while still satisfying your cravings. At the table, fill most of your plate with lean cuts of meat and vegetables. When you've filled up on the healthy stuff then simply taste the heavier dishes, rather than eating a large serving.
6. Wait!: Wait at least 20 minutes before you get a second helping. This is very important since it takes at least this long for your body to register how full it actually is. You may realize after 20 minutes that you don't want seconds after all.
I hope these tips help you stay healthy and happy during this holiday season. Have an incredible and safe Thanksgiving!
Kaizen,
Scott
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