Ten Tips for Staying Fit During the Holidays
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'Tis the Season for holiday celebrations, sweet treats and packing on the pounds. There is a reason loosing weight is one of the most popular New Years resolutions. But Lakewood's own certified personal trainer and owner of Vert. Fitness and Wellness offers some easy suggestions on ways to stay fit and trim during the holiday season. 1. Squeeze cardio into your schedule in spurts when short on time. Three intense ten minute sessions throughout the day is been proven to be as beneficial or more so then a straight 30 minutes. Park a few lanes back at the grocery store, and even if it’s cold it will pick up your pace to make a brisk walk. Put on your tennis shoes when shopping and take the stairs at the mall instead of the escalator. 2. Keep a large water bottle (20oz) handy at all times and make sure you refill it three - four times a day to make sure you stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is very important when we are filling our body with more than normal sugar levels and alcohol, not to mention holiday stress and potential illnesses. 3. Forgo those sweet holiday lattes and fancy drinks for a regular drip coffee and a little low fat milk. Spice it up with cinnamon – the real stuff not the syrup! - and stay away from the whipping cream. 4. Eat before you go to holiday parties. Fill up on protein and veggies before you leave the house, and drink lots of water before you walk into the party. You will be less likely to binge. 5. Choose white wine over red whenever you get a chance as it has less calories. And if you need a sweet treat, go for a hot chocolate (without whip cream) before the cookies or candy. 6. Chew sugar free gum throughout the day to keep your craving at bay. 7. During the holidays we carry a lot of stress, so make sure to get up from your desk and walk around every once in a while to get blood flowing as well as keep your posture in check. Make sure your monitor is not too high or too low and that both your feet sit comfortably on the ground. Think posture, posture, posture. 8. If you want to participate in holiday fun but don’t want the extra calories of cookie making, use fast drying sculpting clay and decorate ornaments instead by using cookie cutters, paint and glitter. Your neighbors will appreciate this as much as those sugar cookies! 9. Indulge in some holiday fun and get fit at the same time by ice skating or even indoor skiing if you aren’t near the slopes. Or bundle up and take a walk around the neighborhood this year to look at the lights instead of using your car. 10. And if you really want to stay fit or give yourself a pampering treat, hire yourself a personal trainer and maybe get into that holiday dress before the office party. P.S. It’s always a great holiday gift.
Trevor Marum can be reached at vertfitnesswellness@yahoo.com.
