As the holidays approach, a frequent question
from my clients and subscribers is “How can I
avoid gaining weight during the holidays”?
Their concern is legitimate. The average
American adult gains seven pounds of fat
between Thanksgiving and New Years Day.
However, with a little know-how and effort you
don’t have to be “average”. In fact, I’ve seen
many people actually lose a few pounds over the
holidays and feel great while doing it.
One of my clients said it best, “Greg, I can’t
tell you how good it feels to have lost three
pounds during the holidays instead of gaining
ten pounds as I used to do. My friends are
jealous. It’s January 2nd and I’m feeling (and
looking) lean and mean. And, best of all, I
actually enjoyed the holidays more because I
always felt energetic. In years past, inactivity
and lots of food made me constantly sluggish
and tired.”
Here are a few tips that can bring you into the
new year without any new pounds..
1. Do some type of exercise everyday, preferably
every morning. Now this can be as simple as a 15
minute walk some days but it’s VERY important
that you do something everyday. Physiologically,
this keeps your metabolism elevated, helps to
control your appetite, and ENERGIZES you!
Mentally, daily exercise increases your mental
acuity for hours after exercise, and it keeps you
in a “healthy” frame of mind. Many people tell
me that daily exercise helps them to make better
food choices because it makes them feel like
they are doing something healthy for themselves.
Commit to doing at least 15 minutes, but
preferably 30 to 60 minutes everyday during the
holidays. I think you’ll be surprised.
2. Don’t deprive yourself of those holiday
goodies that you enjoy. Tell yourself that you
can eat whatever you’d like to as long as it’s
in moderation. For example, eat one Christmas
brownie instead of five. Take small bites of
that brownie, chew it well, savor every bite
so you can really enjoy the taste rather than
rushing to swallow it. The same for meals,
don’t deprive yourself of the foods you enjoy
but eat them in moderation and savor every
bite.
3. Have lots of “healthy” foods available at
your home during the holidays. Make a big
fruit salad to keep in the frig when you need
a snack. Have some of your favorite veggies
ready to eat for when you’re hungry. Make a
big salad and keep it ready to eat in the
frig.
4. Don’t allow yourself to get too hungry. The
hungrier you are, the less control you have
over your eating. Always eat some healthy,
filling food before going to a party,
dinner, or any situation where you will be
exposed to lots of tempting food.
5. Strictly limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol
is really bad news!I call it the “triple
whammy”! it depresses your metabolism,
stimulates your appetite, and it’s loaded
with calories. Alcohol has as many calories
per gram as fat!
So, get energized with some daily exercise and
moderate food consumption, and REALLY enjoy
the holidays.. AND January 2.
copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S.
Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,
offers free, unique weight loss and fitness
articles at his site.. http://www.Landry.com
Tags: exercise, fitness, weight lossexercise, fitness, weight lossShare This
There are hundreds of reasons why you should quit smoking. Each year millions of people are becoming sick, and even dying because of cigarette smoking. The problem is that often time’s people are given an abundance of information, sometimes conflicting information that is hard to make sense out of. This article offers a few easy ways to quit smoking while you are still healthy.
Working out is one way to help quit smoking. Allowing yourself to test your health on a regular basis, like going for a jog, will keep you physically aware of the dangers of smoking. While your body is still able to perform basic tasks, during rigorous workout routines the smoking that causes you to be short on breathe can be seen as not worth it.
Read about what smoking has done to others. Research the dangers of smoking, and what the key ingredients are in cigarettes. Through researching the health risks of smoking you can become more sensitive to its dangers. Often many smokers turn a blind eye to health reports, operating under the rule out of sight, out of mind. You wand to break this mold and educate yourself on what your body is inhaling every time you take a drag of that cigarette.
Share with others your wishes to quit smoking. Peer acceptance can be a great thing, if you share with your peers you want to quit, than you don’t want to look like you can’t stick to your word. By showing others that you don’t want to smoke anymore, you create an audience for your cause. Be sure to be frank with people, and tell them you want to be held accountable for quitting now.
Find natural relief to help calm the cravings. While most of what you will do to quit smoking involves will power, you want to also have some smoking suppressing natural alternatives as well. One example is NicoDrops (www.nicodrops.com), the natural herbal drop that helps you keep your cravings in check. Or try a gum like Nicorette (www.nicorette.com - although this isn’t all natural).
Finally keep a record of all the days you go without a cigarette. If you can make it a few short months you should be in good shape.
Nicolas Gremion is a health buff, business consultant and apparently a part-time writer. His latest venture is a Canadian mineral exploration company called IQ Mining Inc. (http://www.IQmining.com)
Tags: cancer, cigarettes, fitness, health, lungs, quite smoking, smoke, smoking, stop smoking, tabaccocancer, cigarettes, fitness, health, lungs, quite smoking, smoke, smoking, stop smoking, tabaccoShare This
Reason #1: You don’t make a decision to start. You can have hundreds of excuses, but it comes down to how big is your want to? If you want results you have to start. Why wait ’til tomorrow what you can start today?? DECIDE!
Reason #2: You don’t know what you want. Where are you on a scale of 1-10, 10 being as serious as a heart attack, about reaching your fitness goals? If your number is anything but a 9 or a 10, I will not work with you. Why, because you are not COMMITTED to doing whatever it takes to reach your goals. If you say you are a 1-8 that means you get it right eighty percent or less of the time. That means that you will eat when and what you want and not stick to a program. That is like a rocket scientist at NASA being sixty percent sure the left engine works on the spaceship we are sending to the moon. COMMIT!
Reason #3: You don’t make it a priority. Everyone’s biggest excuse is TIME. My question to you is what do you value? Do you value your health? Do you value productive energy when spending time with your family and/or kids? I would say that you cannot afford not to make time. By making exercise a priority in your daily planner you will not only have a sense of accomplishment by sticking to a regular routine, but feel more energized and less stressed when dealing with the daily ebb and flow of life. SCHEDULE!
Reason #4: You have no one hold you accountable. When beginning an exercise program, I highly recommend working out with a friend or considering a personal trainer because on the days you do not feel like going that person will encourage you to remember why you’re doing this. Having a training partner also keeps your workouts fresh and fun. ACCOUNTABILITY!
Reason #5: You focus more on the scale (weight) instead of the tape measure (inches). Muscle is more dense than fat. Therefore, focus on the inches. Some of the fittest people look like they way twenty pounds less than they actually do because muscle can be deceiving. Also, you will probably gain one or two pounds when you begin to exercise because strength training promotes this. If the only thing you did was add one pound of muscle, you will ultimately lose five pounds of body fat within six months because muscle burns calories (fat) at rest and fat does not. FOCUS ON INCHES!
Reason #6: You start exercising but you don’t change your eating habits. Eating and nutrition comprise about 70% of the results you will obtain when it comes to changing the shape of your body. What you eat and when you eat it are equally important. American culture in general would have you believing that this is a difficult concept when in reality it is not difficult at all. CHANGE EATING HABITS!
Reason #7: You follow the newest, latest, greatest technique due to media hype. Almost everything you see on TV is a waste of your time, money, and effort. If it sounds too good to be trueit probably is. If a supermodel is advertising the product, you will NOT look like him or her by “just using this product 8 minutes a day”!!! DON’T GET SUCKED INTO INFOMERCIALS!
Reason #8: You quit right before you are going to see results. In order to see measurable results, you need to stick with your new found exercise routine for 90-120 days if you want to truly make LIFESTYLE changes and maintain your results for more than a couple of months. The human body completely regenerates itself about every 90-120 days. COMMIT TO A 90-DAY PLAN!
Reason #9: You don’t eat breakfast. You’ve heard it since you were old enough to listen: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In fact, a study done at the University of Massachusetts with 500 participants concluded startling statistics. You are 150% more likely to be obese by eating breakfast away from home, and you are an astonishing 450% more likely to be obese by not eating breakfast at all. Breakfast is a simple thing that can dramatically improve your fitness results and your lifestyle. EAT BREAKFAST!
Reason #10: You don’t drink water or you don’t drink enough water. Water has many benefits. Your muscle tissue is about 75% water based. If you are dehydrated (and most people are), you will have more aches and pains than you really should have. When most people feel hungry, their body is usually telling them they are thirsty. Water also fights off hunger pains or will not allow you to eat as much food if you are drinking it diligently. DRINK WATER!
Reason#11: You set your expectations too high. Let’s face it, society places a major emphasis on results. However, what you just did to your body for the last 5, 10, maybe 20 years can’t be corrected within 24 hours, a week or a month. Lifestyle changes take time to progress and become habits in your life. Be patient through the process and know that you are only going to have to go through the process once because you won’t be on the latest roller-coaster diet. SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS!
Reason #12: You don’t switch your routine enough. Your body will hit a plateau because it will adapt to what you are doing. Therefore you will need to switch your routine around in order to continue to get the results you are looking for. This doesn’t mean that you will always have to do MORE but rather work smarter so you are in control of your results. CHANGE UP YOUR ROUTINE!
Reason #13: You’ve read too many ‘diet’ books and are misled on the topic of nutrition. “Dieting” is the most misused word when it comes to the world of exercise, fitness and health. With the United States leading the charge in the category of most ‘unhealthy’ nation, we are bombarded with the latest ‘do it in the next 24 hours fad diet that will help you lose 25 lbs in the next 2 days’ program. Don’t overcomplicate what “they” would like you to think it really takes in order to change some habits. Using the word “diet” truly means “what you are going to eat” vs. ‘what you are going to avoid.’ AVOID THE NEWEST “DIET”!
Reason#14: You consume yourself with your program and you forget to have fun. Some of you get so wrapped in keeping an exercise journal, a food journal, and buying new workout clothes that you forget to be realistic about your approach to your new found “self.” Just remember that if you become too fanatical too quick you will more likely be on to the next best thing sooner than you think. You do not want your exercise routine to become a ‘chore’. HAVE FUN!
Reason #15: You overcomplicate your routine. You have so many goals that you want to accomplish that you do too many things and spread yourself so thin that you don’t see any concrete results. New found lifestyle habits are found through simple routinessomething that you can implement and stick to without too much deviation from your current flow of life. SIMPLIFY ROUTINE!
Reason #16: You don’t believe you can reach your ‘ideal’ goals. Believe you can get there. Write out EXACTLY what you want and the keyWHEN you want it. Then break down your goals in weekly training goals and check them with a professional to see if they are realistic. You can get back to the shape you were in prior to kids, back as a high school athlete, or back as a high school cheerleader if you set your mind to it. Wherever the mind goes, the body will follow. BELIEVE!
Reason #17: You don’t seek guidance. Your new-found journey can be very intimidating. Set yourself up to win by talking to a professional that can help you set realistic goals but probably more importantly help you stay accountable. If you are not ready to be held accountable then you are probably not ready to truly go after your goals. SEEK PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE!
Reason #18: You rely on some piece of equipment or a trainer to get you results. It is up to you and ONLY YOU to be responsible and accountable for achieving the results you are looking for. The equipment or trainers that help are there to guide, direct, and encourage you through the process. You are the only person who knows deep down if you are ready for this journey. ONLY YOU CAN ACHIEVE THE RESULTS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!
Reason #19: You don’t do any strength training, just cardio. You will not get the results you are looking for if you leave out any components of a successful fitness plan. Strength training has many benefits including burning fat. If all you did was add ONE pound of lean muscle you would burn FIVE pounds of fat over the next 6 months without changing anything else. Strength training will also boost your immune system, strengthen bones, and increase your self-confidence. STRENGTH TRAINING IS THE TICKET!
Brad Nelson is a Minneapolis/St. Paul based certified Level II kettlebell instructor and strength and conditioning coach (CSCS). Brad is unwavering about getting you results through private or team training and workshops. For additional information or to witness a demonstration on how and why kettlebells are the single most effective tool for increasing strength, burning fat, general conditioning and teaching movement visit http://www.mtxeconditioning.com or contact brad@mtxeconditioning.com.
© Copyright 2005 Brad Nelson — http://www.mtxeconditioning.com
Tags: diet, fitness myths, kettlebell, kettlebell training, mtxe conditioning, weight lossdiet, fitness myths, kettlebell, kettlebell training, mtxe conditioning, weight lossShare This