Denver Personal Training

There will be plenty of choices available over the holidays and who can resist all of the candy at the office, pies at the parties, wine with the girls or an extra glass of beer with the guys? Noone! And how easy is it to NOT exercise around the holidays? VERY! But holiday weight control can be easier if you follow these guidelines:

1. It is perfectly ok to miss a day or two of exercise, but try not to make it any more than this. It will be very easy to miss another day, and still another day if you let more than 2 days go by. Even if you don't exercise for as long as you normally do, it is important to still do something.
2. Don't deny yourself of your favorite things, but learn to control the portion sizes instead. By denying yourself of something you love, you are only making it harder to resist which only increases the urge to overeat. So limit yourself to one piece of pie or cake, use only a tablespoon of gravy, and drink only one glass of wine or beer.

3. Move something while you are in front of the TV! Don't just sit there, use that time to do some floor exercises like sit ups or push ups, squats or lunges, or if you have an elastic band, the exercises are virtually endless. Jumping jacks, jump roping (with or without an actual rope) or walking or jogging in place are all more effective than just sitting there!

4. When you are ready to take the tree and/or the decorations down, place the box strategically far away from the tree so that you can walk back and forth between them to burn some calories. Or consider buying a box of candy canes and passing them out to a few of your neighbors over a span of 6-10 blocks.

While the holidays are an important time not to break your healthy habits, they are also usually not a good time to try to start new ones. Try to stay on track with your exercise schedule, and be sure to eat in moderation when food is in abundance and rich with flavor. Reward yourself if you stick to it, and engage a friend or relative to help you stick with it if necessary.
Have fun, and Happy Holidays!

by Kim Farmer