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Holiday Health & Fitness
Healthy Holidays
 JENI
is the owner of the popular website and ezine 'Fitness
and Freebies'. Jeni is
certified by the Professional School of Fitness and Nutrition. Jeni
was Featured in the Feb. 1994 issue of "Shape" magazine and in in
Collage in the spring issue of 1995. Fitness and Nutrition
expert Jeni is here with us today to guide us to celebrating a fit
and healthy holiday season.
1. Holidays are here and so is the season of sinful desserts
and lots of calories. Women tend to overeat in this season. What
health/ fitness advice would you give to stay fit this holiday
season?
First and foremost, I say don't give up all the goodies! Indulge
in some of your favorites - just don't over-indulge. Do watch
the portion sizes - have one of those all-time favorite Christmas
cookies, not three or four or more. When you do take a treat,
chew it slowly, savor the flavor I like to say, and truly enjoy
it. Don't eat a treat while talking to someone else, or while on
the telephone, etc.
I also have to add the dreaded "X" factor - yes, you must get
your exercise. The holidays give us so many great excuses to not
exercise, the most popular being time constraints. However, you
can find one-half hour a day to exercise if you make it a
priority. Tackle a cleaning project you've been meaning to get
to, take a brisk walk, get a yoga tape (great for the stress of
the season, as well), or walk around your local mall looking for
gift ideas, but just be sure to move! This will help you sleep
better, too - something we all need during the rushed, stressed
holiday season. Sleeping better will help you cope better as
well as energizing you for that bit of exercise every day.
Last, but most definitely not least, watch the alcohol.
Alcohol can blow an entire week of dieting in just one night. It
also reduces energy levels, causing you even more reason not to
want to get that exercise. Alcohol contains nothing but empty
calories that love to sit on the waistline. You can have plenty
of fun without a "buzz" - give it a try! In the morning you'll
be feeling just fine, ready to tackle another busy day, while
others are groaning and moaning from over-indulging the night
before. Think of what a good example you can set for others! If
you must have some alcohol, limit yourself to two drinks in one
evening - whatever it is you like to drink. If you mix alcohol
with soda, use diet soda. The added sugar from regular sugar
only adds to the detrimental effects of the alcohol.
For a great spirit booster, find a needy cause and give! Pick
a child's name from a tree of poverty, give to the Salvation Army
when you walk past their workers - leave the irritation behind
and give with a smile! (Attitude, friends - attitude!) Or, give
some canned goods to a local or church food pantry, bake for a
Christmas cookie bake sale - what a feeling! When you give
yourself a spiritual/mood boost, it's easier to cope with just
about everything - including your diet.
2. What care should be taken before the festivities start,
during the Christmas feasts and parties, and after them?
Keep an eye on your weight during this season. If it creeps up a
couple pounds, make a concentrated effort to get it back down
before it gets out of hand. It does take self-discipline, but
you can do it if you only put your mind to it.
Pamper yourself with your favorite lotions, perfumes, etc.
and make a promise to yourself to go to an after-Christmas sale
and buy yourself a killer outfit, or pair of shoes, purse, etc.,
if you get through the season with no weight gain. Don't even
try to lose weight during this season - just do your best to
maintain. If you do lose, more power to you, but don't beat
yourself up if you don't. You have plenty of time the rest of
the year to lose weight!
During a party, please refer to my suggestions on alcohol
above. I cannot stress enough how detrimental alcohol is to your
weight and your health - in so many ways. And don't compare
yourself to any other woman in the room! There's always one
woman at a party who stands out with her size zero, skin tight,
slinky dress. She's the one you love to hate (exactly what she
wants!). Ignore her - or better yet, be incredibly sweet to
her. Show her you're a bigger person than her and that you are
comfortable with yourself, no matter what your size (and I
sincerely hope you are. If you aren't, work on that one -
hard!) Women like her usually have some pretty serious emotional
issues - feel sorry for them. Be secure in who you are.
After the festivities, avoid the after-holiday let down. Many
people have as much (or more) difficulty after the hustle and
bustle is over and life gets back to it's every day routines.
Plus, many have the yearly resolutions made on New Year's Day to
contend with. I'd say give up the resolutions. Make some plans
with a couple friends or family members for a very casual get
together, go shopping the after-Christmas sales, take a walk,
etc. Do something that calms you and gives you a feeling of
inner peace.
3. Any low cal recipes or ways to 'DeFat' high calorie foods?
I have tons of healthy recipes on my website. Visit
http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/allrecipes.html
and pick your favorite category! Here is one of my personal
Christmas recipe:
Low Fat Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
Two egg whites
2-1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 cup skim milk
Directions:
Mix first four ingredients until blended. Stir in dry ingredients
alternately with milk. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill dough at
least one hour.
Roll out 1/8-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place on coated cookie
sheets and bake at 375-degrees, 1- to 12 minutes or until lightly
browned. Frost and decorate.
As for "De-fatting" food, here are some sureshot tips:
1. Use less fat.
2. Use "better" fat.
3. Use less sugar in recipes.
4. Switch to whole grains
5. Add flaxseed when possible
6. Add fruit and vegetables
For a whole list of tips and detailed information, read Jeni's
article
"DeFatting" Your Recipes
4. Would you recommend a fitness plan for the Winter season?
If you like what you're currently doing, stick to it. "Never
mess with success" as the old saying goes. If you're not
currently exercising, get to it! If you like exercising outdoors
but winter weather keeps you indoors, find something else you
enjoy. I don't like to recommend a specific exercise regime for
all because it's so important you find a form of exercise you
enjoy. What I would recommend, is getting at least one-half hour
of exercise/movement at least four times a week for everyone.
This could be in any form you please - from cleaning to bowling
to a treadmill to taking a yoga class. The key is the moving -
the body needs to move. It doesn't have to be fast-paced or
strenuous, you just need to get your body moving. This
circulates the blood, oxygenates your body, supplies vital
nutrients to all your organs and of course, burns the dreaded
fat. A simple ten minute walk after a meal can increase your
metabolism for an entire night! Just ten minutes!
5. Kids also eat a lot of sweets, chocolates etc. which might
be unhealthy. Please tell us about some ways to balance their
diet and keep them fit and healthy.
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