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A better balance during the Holiday Season

by Rich Fahmy

Ah yes, the holidays! Parties, gatherings and get-togethers all with one main event: your family? Nope, the food. Here are a few tips on eating less and moving more during the Holidays to help you survive the annual pre-resolution calorie debacle.

The idea is to burn either as many, or more calories than we eat this holiday season. This means we’ll either lose weight or at the very least maintain it. Finding the right energy balance of calories in versus calories out will be your best defense against looking more like the jolly guy in the red suit. So these tips are broken into two sections: burning more calories and eating fewer calories.

Burning more calories…

Park farther away from the mall even if the parking happens to be great

Take a few laps around the mall before you begin shopping

While you’re closing out the year at work…

Use a restroom farther from your desk than usual

Stand up and pace for phone calls that last 5 minutes or longer

While you’re on a conference call, do squats, lunges, jog in place, exercise with hand weights, just move more (you’re on mute anyway!)

Instead of a text/IM/intercom page/phone call/email, actually walk over to a co-worker’s desk and speak in person

While you’re eating on the go in between all the shopping and errands, walk into the restaurant instead of the drive-thru

When you’re cleaning house for the big shindig, use your non-dominant hand to vacuum, wipe, sweep, etc. The awkwardness of it will burn more calories than usual

Take along some bands or light dumbbells on vacation and be sure to be active while away, even if it’s nothing but a simple walk with a loved one

Be the person that passes out the presents and cleans up afterward

Offer to help with kitchen clean up duties

Eating fewer calories…

Before you go to a party, eat a healthy snack! The fuller you are before you arrive, the less munching you’ll do

Stay hydrated! Our body can mistake thirst for hunger, so keep the water flowing and avoid that classic pitfall

Brush your teeth after meals; the change of taste in your mouth will signal you’re full

Whatever you do, distract yourself from being near the buffet or snack table, focus on keeping a ten foot perimeter around it

Bring healthy dishes and snacks to the pot-luck

Go after leaner cuts of beef and poultry, and load up on veggies to keep you full

If you are to snack on some fudge, cookies, and so on, take only a few pieces, put them on a plate and WALK AWAY, do not graze at the table. This also assumes only ONE trip to the table.

Put these strategies to use and avoid having to say “Aw heck, I blew it! I might as well let it all loose till my New Year’s resolution!”

Have a safe and joyous Holiday Season!

Until next time,

Rich

About the author: Rich Fahmy, M.S. is a respected industry authority on personal training. He owns Oracle Fitness Education, a company that provides continuing education designed for fitness professionals. Visit www.oraclefited.com for more information.

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