How to stay fit as the holiday season starts up

By this point in the year, there is a good change that you are becoming concerned about your winter midline. If you are feeling good about where you are at right now, you are still probably anxious about what the next few weeks hold in store for you. If you are already unhappy with where you are at, you may have already given up on the weeks ahead. Between the stress of the in-laws, and the already abundant delicacies scattered throughout your home, over-eating, and lack of exercise will ensure a few extra pounds to your waist. But if you want this year to be different, take these few tips into consideration to balance your health with the health of the environment. Tip 1: Don’t starve yourself. The holidays are really not a good time to lose weight, but if you are planning on losing weight, make realistic goals—not to drop 30 pounds. Many people (women especially) tend to use moderate starvation as a dieting mechanism. This will not work, especially around this time of year. Perhaps you have made it through Thanksgiving already, eating very little. But the thing is … eating significantly less than your body is used to is really an inherently short-lived biological occurrence. Eat normal portion sizes this season. It will help you reduce cravings for the goodies if you are full from meals. At meals, eat more of the healthy foods, and smaller portions of the treats. Try setting a specific amount of desserts you will allow yourself. You will not make it through the season dessert-free, so set your intake ahead of time. Each year you see that lady at the party who says she won’t have any dessert, but while she is dishing it up for everyone else, all of the broken pieces make their way into her mouth, and she ends up consuming more calories than anyone else there … some of you are bashfully giggling because that is you (it’s me too). Just don’t let it be you again this year. Tip 2: Buy local, organic vegetables and fruits in abundance. Okay, so it is not the prime time of year for fresh fruit and veggies, but there are some that are in season pretty much everywhere. Winter squash is nutrient rich, flavorful, and hearty. If you have to settle for produce that is not local, try to at least purchase organic versions. The more you stock your fridge with produce, and less with fatty meats and carbohydrate-rich pastas, the more you will fill your body with the right things this season. Tip 3: Exercise three times a week. Don’t shoot for the stars here. If you don’t exercise at all right now, try twice a week. Better yet, if you already exercise three times a week or more, maintain what you are doing. For specific exercise techniques try to mix up several different types. You should not go out and join a gym if you are not already a member, though. It is better for the environment if you exercise at home, rather than traveling into town, and you are more likely to stick with it if you don’t have to leave your house to work out. Try doing some combination of these workouts each week. One should fall into the strength spectrum: this could be lifting free weights, weight machines, or all-in-one machines. If you do not have any equipment, use yourself. Push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups, deep knee bends, calf raises, lunges, and squats can all be done with only the use of your body. The second workout should fall into the cardiovascular category, which can include: riding a bike or exercise bike, running, jogging, walking, swimming, or playing a recreational team sport. The third workout can fall into an alternate category. Alternate activities can be anything you really enjoy doing for exercise that integrates movement, strength, cardiovascular stimulation, and flexibility, which can include: yoga, pilates, dance, jazzercise, cross-country or down-hill skiing, ice skating, or anything else you really enjoy. Tip 4: Bake your own goodies. Instead of buying processed desserts, or even fresh desserts from your local bakery, bake your own this year. In doing this, you get to decide exactly what goes in. You can use organic and natural ingredients, which are better for the environment, and you can choose your own ingredients with less fats, oils, and sugars. An easy fix for desserts and sweet breads is to use apple sauce instead of oil. This makes recipes fat-free in most cases (although sometimes just lower in fat). You can make apple sauce at the beginning of the fall from locally grown produce and not add sugar to the sauce. This reduces the fat content of your bread, but it generally makes desserts taste better as well. Tip 5: Have fun with the festivities! Unnecessary stress causes many negative side effects, including compulsive over-eating and weight gain. If you are happily having fun, you are less likely to turn to food as a crutch, which will make it easier to maintain a healthy weight over the holidays.