Stay Ahead Of The ‘Holiday Five’

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy New Year! If you are anything like me, all you think about when you see those words is FOOD.

The holiday season means family, festivities and fun, but it usually includes lots of eating and drinking. Each year we tell ourselves, ‘I’m going to be smart and not overeat…I’m going to make healthy choices and make sure that I keep exercising.’ Then the third holiday party rolls around and the good intentions are thrown out the window. So this year I am going to recommend you take a different approach: enjoy yourself. If you have one too many cocktails or indulge in dessert, don’t kick yourself. Make up for it and get moving! Bring your family to the club and you have instant group motivation. Take a hike before the big meal or try one of these great activities to burn calories:

Ice Skating- 400 calories/hour Sledding- 450 calories/hour
Skiing- 470 calories/hour Spinning-500-700 calories/hour
Dancing (aerobic)- 440 calories/hour Zumba- 500 calories/hour

Personal Training- 300-500 calories/hour (depending on how much cardio is done throughout the session)
Your goal is to dig a large, caloric “hole,” so to speak, before you start nibbling and sipping. It will keep you ahead of the scale. If you consume fatty foods and high-calorie drinks before you dig your hole, you will end up with a mountain of calories. It’s more difficult to play catch-up, and eventually that mountain turns into five pounds before you reach holiday party number four. The startling fact is that the average American puts on five pounds during the holiday season. Don’t be average, be great. In other words, maintain don’t gain!

Colleen Stoops
Wellbridge Personal Training