Power
Up with These Nutrition Stars
The holidays
are close at hand. Ghosts, goblins, and candle-filled pumpkins have
been replaced by autumn leaves, plans for festive gatherings, and decorations
for holidays that all agree have arrived too quickly. Soon we’ll
experience the feelings and attitudes that inevitably accompany the
season when shorter days are tempered by holiday lights and accelerated
social events. For some, the holiday season is a happy time to be with
family and friends. Others can’t get past the stress of the season
— shopping, parties, and the abundance of traditional foods that
are part of every holiday event. Without a concerted effort we’re
at risk for a downward spiral of diminishing willpower that, if we’re
not careful, can result
in unhealthy extra pounds, a decrease in athletically trained muscle,
and a spirit that’s drained instead of eager to embrace what lies
ahead.
Armed with
some proven strategies to keep your meals lean, your exercise on track,
and your mood positive you may discover it’s possible to herald
the New Year with the leaner, fitter body than you have as you read
this. Consider following these strategies.
Smart
Exercise
Keep moving. Exercise burns calories and suppresses the appetite.
If you
can’t make your fitness class or get to the gym, remember that
a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that you can get the same benefits from 10-minute increments
of exercise as with 30-minutes of continuous exercise.
When you
exercise don’t get in the habit of making it an activity you’re
doing to punish yourself for eating too much the day before. Exercise
must always be its own reward.
Make exercise
count. Jump-start your metabolism by occasionally increasing the pace
of your walk or adding an extra 10 minutes to your workout.
Keep yourself
on track by checking the Walk About Walking Event Calendar then
committing with friends to participate in several activities.
Alternate
your walking with activities that contribute to total fitness. Chop
your own wood. Rake leaves. Rake the neighbor’s leaves.
Smart
Eating
At a holiday buffet serve yourself reasonable portions of the “special”
choices offered instead of the chips, bread, and nuts you can eat all
year long.
Limit your
alcohol intake by alternating a glass of wine or eggnog with a glass
of sparkling water.
Whether you’re hosting a party or providing food for a potluck
rely on publications such as Cooking Light or Weight Watchers and books that provide recipes for delicious but lower-in-fat and -calorie
hors d’oeuvres, snacks, main dishes, and desserts.
Eat a balanced
breakfast — even if you’ve had too much to eat the night before.
The National Weight Control Registry (www.nwcr.ws),
which keeps records of people who are successful at long-term weight
loss, cites breakfast as one of the key factors to long-term weight
management.
Don’t
skip meals. Meal skipping encourages willpower-crushing bingeing. Eating
something every three to four hours keeps blood sugar and hormone levels
stable and your calorie-burning metabolism higher.
Create
healthy new traditions with your friends and family. Instead of hosting
a party, gather with friends and prepare a meal for a shut-in or needy
family.
Smart
Behaviors
Instead of focusing on the stress of the holiday, take time to tune
in to the delightful experiences you find only at this time of year.
Tour a neighborhood known for special decorations or splurge on tickets
to a holiday play.
Schedule
time to volunteer at a nonprofit providing holiday events for those
less fortunate. Visit a shut-in or take flowers to an extended care
facility. You will enjoy your holiday more after you spend time helping
others.
Make taking
a few minutes for yourself a holiday habit. Add candlelight to the bedroom.
Open that fancy soap you have been saving for a special occasion. Take
a short nap. Call a special friend you haven’t seen in awhile.
Build in
some holiday gifts for yourself. Try a spa service, get the car washed,
cut some fresh greens to add to the purchase of a small bunch of flowers
at your local market.
In the
rapid pace that can accompany this season — especially when the
focus can too easily be on “to do” lists and gift giving,
make time to embrace the child within you and enjoy the wonderment of
the holiday. Take time to follow the advice of Simple Abundance author, Sarah Breathnach, who urges us to end each day by writing down
five things for which you are grateful.
Make this
a season that transforms and revitalizes you physically, mentally, socially,
emotionally, and spiritually. I wish you peace. |
