Christmas Merriment UN-Grinched

 

Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry, but weight…I mean wait….what about your fabulous fitness lifestyle that you have worked so hard to achieve?

So many hours clocked on the hamster wheel of the gyms finest cardio equipment, the sweating, the classes, the I need to relax Yoga (insert OM here) , the healthy balanced nutrition…”Can I just have a moment to catch me breath instructor lady”… replaces the sugar plums dancing around in your head mantra.  Oh right, it’s holiday time again!

 With Christmas and New Years just around the corner, the holidays are a notorious time for…ahem…weight gain and…Let me be quite frank, I still have Halloween candy left to pillage and consume. Three months of feasting, the merriment of wine and dine events, coupled with the blistering cold weather and traditional absenteeism from your usual exercise routine, it’s a common recipe for packing on the unwanted pounds and wondering Christmas morning whilst amongst the flurry of present opening, the Reindeer knitted sweater Granny gave you doesn’t fit, even though…you swear you told her the right size!

 All is not lost my fine festive friends. Use these tips of the holiday trade to keep you inspired, healthy and guilt free this Holiday Season…

 Top 10 Tips Towards Holiday Health Bliss:

1. Think realistically, prepare and plan ahead. After reading this, go and remove all processed, unhealthy tasty treats, junk and “bingeable” items from your pantry and replace them with veggies, fruit, high protein nuts and whole foods. Then do your part for the community and drop off your unused food to Quest Food Exchange or a local shelter who can re distribute and re use your plethora of plenty.  
2. Snack Smart before meals. Making sure to snack healthy before festive meals or shin-diggers can ensure you don’t over eat or grab the canapé tray out of the waitresses hands because your famished (been there). Eat small portions that pack a protein punch, low in carbs and fat.
3. Don’t Skip Meals. Breakfast is the meal of champions! Statistics show, if you skip meals you are more likely to slow down your metabolism and present an excellent opportunity for your hormones to be all over the map – which in turn doesn’t allow your foodstuffs to be properly broken down and utilized. Try a great healthy omelet – couple egg whites, fresh peppers, zucchini, tomato, cilantro and a small jalapeño pepper for zest, one piece of squirrelly grain bread, and a handful of fresh berries – 8.5 mins tops to make that little piece of heaven and calorie conscious.
4. Establish a support system. Recruit a best friend, co worker, spouse or furry friend to hop on the exercise and stay fit for the holiday’s band wagon, who provide you with nonjudgmental and nurturing support.
5. Create a Holiday Journal. Research has shown that keeping a daily journal increases your success rate. So get a pen and paper you DA!LY MUSERS!
6. Leave the Table. After the pause of everyone eating, be the first to engage your loved ones to take the conversation into another room. This reduces the “oh…I will just a smaller third helping… or picking!
7. Nix the late-night binge: Don’t be a turkey and snack late at night. If you snack after 8pm with excess calories (as your body processes start to slow down and get ready for rest mode), you should be prepared to fit them into your jeans the next morning, because your junk in the trunk…well you get it.
8. Eliminate processed sugar. News Flash – processed sugars are still carbs, they have just been stripped of any nutrient value. The word processed means to re engineer, to change, to convert from its natural state. This includes; sugar, condiments, white bread, white pasta, white rice…anything white (with the exception of snow of course).
9. Offer Healthy Alternative. If you’re host, design a food menu that compliments your healthy goals! Your audience will thank you! For example – Cook an organic farm fed turkey…or try tofurkey. Instead of just potatoes…why not mix it up and combine yams, sweet potatoes and red potatoes, less calories and still being true to the holiday spirit. Stuff the bird with all grain, whole wheat bread – rather than the traditional white bread and for dessert why not try phyllo-fruit pastries with low fat frozen yogurt and fresh berries to top (phyllo-dough is light and flaky and virtually fat free).
10. Stay on the hamster wheel. Maintain at least 3 days a week in the gym no less. This should include cardiovascular activity and strength components. Circuit training is fast and fabulous with cardio and strength combined, and of course, make sure to end with a 10 min Yoga inspired stretch to give you that Zen like…”I’ve earned my Chi” moment of goodness.

 

Stay tuned for Post-Holiday Tips just before Christmas!!  For more information on these tantilizing tips, please email “gimme the scoop” to email the MUSE directly.

Until next time DA!LY MUSERS…eat smart and enjoy the festivities to come!

The DA!LY MUSE xo