Plan B- Holiday Recommendations

"It doesn't matter so much what you eat between Thanksgiving and Christmas as much as what you eat between New Year's and Christmas."  Have you heard this one before?

So, you've decided to make healthy changes in your life....you are out and moving every day, starting a new fitness routine, trying new recipes instead of eating out all the time, etc.  Through this holiday season, does it cross your mind that it's hard to keep up with your planning when people are bringing goodies to work or you are at other people's houses and at the mercy of their menu plan?  It's easy to put your new lifestyle "on hold" until the new year starts because it seems easier, right?  

Don't do that.  This is where "PLAN B" comes in.  Take out your calendar and write on there all of the parties or social things coming up.  Ask ahead of time what will be served.  If you are bringing something to the party/gathering, make it something that fits with what you've been doing.  You don't have to announce that it's a healthier version or healthy-anything, just set it on the table and wait for compliments on how good it is!  If you aren't bringing anything and are worried about the menu, eat ahead of time and just drink at the party or have a taste.  Again, you don't have to announce your plan, just go with it.  Focus on the social aspect of spending time with your co-workers/friends/loved ones.

What about the goodies?  You could remove yourself physically.  If you choose to participate, I'd pick the most special goodie off the tray and enjoy it.  Choose something that you only get this time of year, savor it (ONE!) and move on.  We all know that sometimes food = tradition and the celebration wouldn't seem the same without it.  

Exercise during these busy weeks.  Christmas shopping is active, but shouldn't replace a purposeful workout.  You will feel so good if you continue your fitness routine all December long....especially between parties and family gatherings.  Look at your calendar and get your workouts penciled in.  

Plan B = a healthy, successful ending to 2013.  "On Hold" = having to start over again.  Either way, keep going no matter what season it is!

Fitness at (ALMOST) 40

I recently turned 39.  That's right, the last year in my 30s!  Life passes by so quickly.  For a long time, I believed that by the time I reached this point, (almost mid-life) physically, it would all "be over."  You hear all the time about hitting 40 and that's it-- no metabolism, big time weight gain, destined for the body you never wanted to have and frustration to go with it.

I now personally know that it's a bunch of nonsense.  Sure, your body feels the effects of time and age, but there is no reason to give up on yourself.  My secret weapon to a fit body at this point really isn't a secret:  it's strength training.  This is imperative for all ages, young and old.  Strength training will keep your muscles, joints, and bones strong, help with optimal movement, and raise your metabolism.  If you do nothing, or JUST cardio activity, you will lose your muscle with age, gain fat, and have a flat metabolism.  No thank you!

Can you be as intense in your workouts in a 40 year old body as a 20 year old body?  It won't be the same, but you can push yourself and your abilities at any point.  Be careful not to slip into the "all or nothing" mentality, but find the right intensity for you.

There is hope.  It's never too late to start strength training.  Your aging body will respond positively and lead to a snowball effect of feeling better, stronger, clothes fitting better, etc.  If you don't know what to do to get started, find some guidance....a trainer, a book, a class, etc.  

Get FIT. Be FIT. Stay FIT......at any age.

If you don't have anything nice to say...

Don't say anything at all.  Isn't that how we all learned it?  (I feel like I'm telling my kids this all the time!)  I want to talk about how we talk to ourselves more than how we talk to others.  What is your internal dialogue like?  What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror or get dressed in the morning?  How about when you see yourself in a picture?

We are our own worst critics.  We love to hate on ourselves, especially when we don't feel good about ourselves.  I think there is even one step further than being down on yourself, and that is not caring anymore.  At that point, you just let go of trying to make improvements and that is a dark place to be.

So, how do you change the way to talk to yourself?  How do you stop from muttering negative comments as jokes when others are around?  Or, how do you keep from joining in when in a group of people (primarily females on this one!) that are all bashing themselves or others?  

I think instead of "don't say anything at all," we should all practice positive affirmations.  This takes a lot more effort, I know.  I remember a point in my life when I looked in the mirror and thought, "Gross," about certain areas of my body.  It's a place I never want to go back to.  I didn't deserve to treat myself that way.

Celebrate what you DO like about yourself.  I've said it before, but use what you want to change about your body or even your attitude/mindset as fuel to move forward toward your goals.  Turn, "My butt looks so big in these jeans!" into, "I can't wait to get into the next size down....I'm going to work hard to get there!"  Or, "My favorite thing about myself is...."    If it's a rough day, then just acknowledge that it is and move on without the bashing.

Overhauling your mindset is just as hard if not harder than overhauling your body.  We spend years developing negative dialogue just like we do forming poor eating habits.  It takes a lot of time to unwind that.  Ultimately, you have to decide what you want and how bad you want it.  When it gets hard, you have to talk yourself through it in a good way.  Be encouraging to yourself and others.  "I CAN do this" and "I AM worth it" are a good start.

If you don't have anything nice to say, then change it.

Feast or Famine

It's "feast season" now.  Two big holidays are coming up that revolve around food and the traditions of food-- Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Don't forget all the work/family/friend holiday parties in between the two!  

The following was excerpted from the In Practice blog on Boston.com. and an article called "The Stuffing"-

" ’Tis the season when we’ll see countless articles about holiday weight gain. It’s commonly believed that Americans gain, on average, 5-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. It turns out that the average gain is closer to 1 pound — but that, according to a study, is a pound you never lose."

After a few decades if you don't work to counteract it, that annual pound becomes . . . obesity.  We all know it-- we eat too much this time of year.  We FEAST!  Feasting obviously leads to gaining weight.

Then, usually January 1, many swear to themselves that it will all change and they have to "get to work."  The pendulum swings to the other side and what happens-- FAMINE.  One will try to cut too much out of their daily intake and not eat enough.  Your body needs a certain amount of nutrients just to function properly and stay alive!  If you don't eat enough, not only are you hungry, (which leads to bingeing and feasting and starting over) but your body is going haywire because you aren't taking in enough nutrients to allow it to thrive and make energy.  Your metabolism goes CLUNK!

I'm learning a lot about nutrition since I'm studying to be a nutrition coach through Precision Nutrition.  You have to find that "sweet spot" or "just right range" of dietary intake to lose weight if you need to, yet have sufficient nutrients.  Or if you need to gain weight, it's important to learn what to eat and when with appropriate results without stuffing your face all day with unhealthy foods.

How do you know if you are right between feast or famine with how much you are eating?  I've learned a neat way to just use your hand as a visual from Precision Nutrition.  Next time you load your plate, put a palm-sized portion of protein on there (2 for men).  You should have 1-2 fist sized servings of veggies.  Include 1-2 finger sized portions of healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, etc).  Lastly, one cupped palm of grains.  I love this-- your hands are always with you, so it's easy to do this!

It's helpful to many to eat every 3 hours or so to keep from getting so hungry that you eat the first thing you see or stop at the first drive through alongside the road.  If you are hungry after 3 hours, you've eaten just the right amount at your last meal.  Not hungry yet?  You may have overeaten at your last meal.

Be mindful.  Start working on your goals now, before the holidays.  Think of how it will feel to have a head start before the New Year!