Holi"day" not a Holi"month"

by Lois Manzella-Marchitto, Fitness Knocking
Happy Holidays, chamber friends! It’s getting to be that time of year again. We are heading into the holiday season. This season is filled with food, family, and friends. However, “The most wonderful time of the year” is not the most wonderful time for your diet and maintaining your weight.  Therefore, to stay healthy we have to make sure that we do not completely let ourselves go and remember “a Holiday is not a Holi-month”.

No one can deny that we are currently living through an especially emotional time. We are in the middle of a pandemic, and we have just received word that the number of cases is increasing. We may not be able to visit our friends or maybe even our family as if it were a normal holiday season. With all that emotion, it is normal to want to make sure that we thoroughly enjoy this holiday season.
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 1. KEEP UP WITH YOUR SLEEP! I think this sentence says it all. The correct amount of sleep is always important to your health. Trust me your brain and your waistline will thank me.

2. EXERCISE ON THE MORNING OF THE ACTUAL HOLIDAY. Even if we do not end up doing our usual routine, any movement is better than no movement! A body in motion stays in motion. Ideally aim to get at least 45-60 minutes of circuit training (a combination of cardio and resistance). Or start with a walk or a short stretch like this quick 5 minute yoga video here https://youtu.be/T_YxuOAbnVU This will allow you to burn off a load of extra calories prior to getting ready for the battle at the dinner table.

3. STAND UP STRAIGHT AS YOU WALK. As you walk, keep your head up, your shoulders back, and your stomach engaged (pull your belly button in towards your spine). Maintaining this posture will keep your spine straight and help you breathe, oxygenate your blood and make you feel more energetic

4. FOOD POLICE Slow down! Take a bite, chew, enjoy the flavor, put your fork down and take a sip of water. Digestion takes time and starts in the mouth. Send the right signal by slowing down. Talking in between bites also helps us digest. It also helps us have more fun with our family! Most importantly, when you are just shy of full you should stop eating.

5. EAT A HEALTHY AND FILLING BREAKFAST. Avoid going to any party or event hungry, as this will actually make you want to eat more. If you have a healthy balanced breakfast it will help to steer clear of unhealthy choices. I love eggy pizza

6. VEG IT UP. Boost every meal with veggies. Veg up your mashed potatoes with cauliflower. Add some pureed pumpkin into your brownie mix. Or try something new like buffalo cauliflower here https://youtu.be/mtZZlwuIVT0 Veggies are filling and will help you to eat a little less of the carbs that taste amazing but aren’t good for your waistline. Pick up some salad before the stuffing.

7. GO SMALL INSTEAD OF GOING HOME. You can still have your favorite foods, but you just go for less. If you know yourself and your ability to stop eating when you are just shy of being full. If you feel the need for a full plate, then use a smaller one. Also, if you need to have a full plate, choose a smaller plate from the beginning. Trick your eyes into believing that it is the bigger plate and the usual portions.

8. POUR WISELY. We don’t need to drink from a fishbowl or a massive wine glass. Drinking alcohol can account for more calories than the food you are eating. Note that 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer and 1 1/2 ounces of liquor are all one serving. Be successful with your day by drinking water in between alcoholic beverages, add extra ice to your glass, and cut the alcohol with frozen fruit, seltzer or water.

9. BEWARE OF THE B.L.T’S Bites, licks and tastes can derail a day easily especially when baking. One glob of cookie dough can be 120 extra calories. A bite of stuffing can be 30 extra calories. Even the crust of your daughters bread can add an extra 40 calories. A extra taste, bite or lick can seem harmless but can add up to a 1000 extra calories really fast.

10. SET YOUR VISION IN MOTION. With emotions running high this season, we may think that it would be better to stifle them by eating your emotions. Sadly this will only be a temporary fix to a big problem. There is no such thing as a “bad” emotion, all emotions are good and we should feel them thoroughly, release them and then see the vision of what you want in your future. Robert Frost says “The only way out is through”. If you are feeling angry with someone, talk about it with them, tell them how it makes you feel and then talk together about how you envision what you want in your life, make steps towards it.

​I hope these tips help to keep your Holidays bright and filled with love. If you are still worried, need help with getting to your bright future, you can contact us at 862-251-8989 for an initial consult for a custom plan.