Tips To Staying Fit Over The Holidays

How to Keep Fit Over the Holidays

When it comes to losing weight the holidays can be a real challenge.  However, by simply keeping a few points in mind you can maintain your weight and perhaps even lose a few pounds. Keeping fit over the holidays and into the new year will be a breeze.

Keep Your Schedule

First off you’ll want to ensure that you keep up your regular exercise routine.  Holiday parties, afternoon drinks and large family dinners shouldn’t stop you from your regular run or spin class. 

By keeping your exercise schedule you’ll more easily keep yourself from packing on those holiday pounds.  Moreover, you’ll feel a lot better than if you forgo your workouts entirely.

Moderation to Keep Fit Over the Holidays

Moderation in all things is another good holiday goal.  Make sure you drink a glass of water for every glass of wine and make sure you don’t overdo it.  Not only will alcohol add extra unneeded calories, but it can also be especially difficult not to overindulge in other things when drinking.  So remember to stay on track by not having more than your share of alcoholic beverages.

You’ll also have to exercise moderation when it comes to those party spreads and snacks.  It is all too easy to overdo it in what seems like mere grazing. Standing and chatting at the food table is a definite diet buster. 

Try to steer the conversation away from the muchies table if you have any hope of still fitting into your new New Years outfit.  It is much easier to steer clear of the table of food altogether to keep fit over the holidays. Rather than trying to deny yourself what is right in front of you.

Stay on Track

One way to keep on track is to make sure you eat a small, well balanced meal before you hit any holiday parties.  This way you can monitor what you are eating and you won’t arrive somewhere famished and be forced to eat your way through the shortbread in order to fill up.  If you’ve already had a small meal you are much less likely to binge on less than healthy fare.

Another important reminder is portion size.  When it comes to holiday feasts you’ll need to remember that despite what your granny says you don’t actually have to try everything.  While you may want to save room for a small bite or two of desert you certainly don’t need to eat everything that is put in front of you.  You’re a grown up now and you reserve the right to say no.

Keeping these tips in mind will make it a good deal easier to stick to your holiday diet.  Though the holidays can be a challenge when it comes to maintaining your figure, it is possible to slip into the New Year the same size as you ended the last one.

Fresh Fitness Ideas For The New Year

With the New Year comes an opportunity to shake things up a little in the old fitness routine.  If you’ve become accustomed to the same old workout, chances are you are starting to plateau and failing to see real results. 

In order to keep our bodies from getting to complacent, we need to challenge them with a variety of different routines.  Keeping it fresh will yield better results and will make it easier for us to stay motivated.

New Year, New You

One of the best ways to kick it up a notch is to therefore learn something new.  Try taking a new fitness class or signing up for a team sport that you’ve never tried before.  These can make all the difference in terms of getting yourself pumped on both a physical and psychological front.

Below are some ideas for those who feel they need to revamp their workout routine or for those who are new to exercise and looking for somewhere to begin.

Fresh Ideas

Join a running clinic. 

Running clinics are often offered through the YMCA or through another local community recreation center.  Running clinics help those new and existing runners learn the basics or improve their techniques as a means of preparing for longer, faster or more strenuous runs.  Sometimes these can be getting ready to run a specific marathon, but they need not be. A running clinic is a great way to get out there and get some exercise as well as meet a group of new people.

Take a dance class. 

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn tap dance but were never put in these classes when you were young and now feel you’re too old to start.  Well as the saying goes, it is never to late to learn something new. Many recreation and fitness centers or dance studios offer adult beginner classes, so take the plunge and join.  You don’t have anything at all too lose.

Get involved in a team sport. 

One of the best ways to stay motivated and to get some exercise. Do it with other people in fun and potentially competitive environment.  When you have other people relying on you to show up it makes is a good deal harder to bail on a workout or game. Signing up for an intramural soccer, softball, volleyball or hockey team. Get your some exercise and potentially some new friends. 

Get a trainer. 

If you have been doing the same routine for months or years? Now it is probably a good idea to invest in a personal trainer who can help you upgrade your workout and your results.  Some of us can get lazy with our workout routines so by hiring someone to help us out. Ensuring we keep ourselves motivated and our bodies challenged.

The New Year is a perfect time to try something new.  Get engaged, get in shape, and get inspired with the above fresh fitness ideas.

5 New Years Resolutions That Will Change Your Life

With the approach of the New Year many of us will begin thinking about how we want the next year of our lives to look.  New Years is a great time for making changes and moving towards a healthier lifestyle. And if you’ve followed our tips to keep fit over the holidays, these tips will be easy.

Below are the top five most important changes you can make in order to improve your health and increase your lifespan.

Quit Smoking: 

If you’re still puffing away then I’m sure you already know that smoking dramatically decreases your life expectancy and the quality of your life overall.  Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for yourself and for your family. 

If you need help with this one, begin by speaking with your physician about your options.  Ranging from the patch to nicotine gum to hypnotherapy to acupuncture there are a variety of different aids to help you kick this habit. 

Drink More Water: 

If you aren’t already drinking 8-10 glasses of quality distilled water a day then this should be a resolution for you.  Not only will you immediately begin to feel better, but you’ll look better too. Your skin will glow, your hair will shine and you’ll have a good deal more energy to take on your other resolutions.

Floss: 

If you aren’t flossing daily than you aren’t taking proper care of your teeth or gums.  Gum disease is rampant and much more common than most people think. Poor oral health leads to gum disease, receding gum lines, and other painful problems.  By simply taking a few minutes a day to floss you could be saving yourself a world of pain and money in the long run.

Exercise: 

Yes, most of us already put this down in our resolution booklets, but that’s simply because it is essential.  If you already have an exercise regime aim to step it up, or try something new. If you don’t, then you need to resolve to start getting in shape.  Make this the year that you finally begin to feel strong, healthy and beautiful. You don’t need to set aside two hours every day for the gym, just a good forty-five minute workout a day should suffice.

Meditation: 

If there is anything that can help you de-stress and feel more positive then it is meditation.  Resolve to begin a practice or take a meditation class. Daily meditation can truly improve your health, both on the mental and physical front.  Meditation can alleviate worry and anxiety both of which are responsible for ill health.

Of course you don’t want to put too much on your plate and then feel like you’ve failed before you’ve even begun.  Start with one of these if you can and then take on another a few months in once you’ve gotten the first resolution under your belt.  By staggering your resolutions this way you won’t feel overwhelmed. You’ll be much more likely to stick to them and keep fit over the holidays.