Holiday cookies, crčme brulee, wine, champagne and every h’orderves under the sun occupies the space known as your visual and scent receptors to a point of potential sabotage. The list runs rampant and for some strange reason, rather than embrace the holidays with cheer and joy, people have fear and sorrow. Why? Because they know that they may pack on the pounds during this most wonderful time of the year. Does it have to be this way? No!
Here are some of JZ’s top ten tips for a Holiday Health Initiative!
1) Never go to a party hungry. Always eat something very healthy and filling prior to going. For example, have a chicken salad with a tall glass of water so that when you get to the party, you aren’t starving and reaching over for m &m’s and bread.
2) Do high intensity interval training prior to your festivities. High intensity training is all about elevating your heart rate and recovering for multiple sets for as short as 20-30 minutes a day. This turns your metabolic engine on, thereby allowing your body a better chance at cutting through the sugar you consume that night.
3) Drink lots of water all day and even at the party. For every glass of wine, have a glass of water. Carry a water bottle with you if you are out at a party so that you always have water as an option in case the party doesn’t have it.
4) On your dinner plate, serve yourself 70% veggies and 30% protein. Leave the high glycemic carbs out of the dinner such as pasta, rice, potatoes, and grains. If you must taste the grain, do only 10% grain and 60% veggies. But that’s it! It’s all about feeling full vs. having the things your body doesn’t need. This will enable you the treat after dinner which is ultimately what you love anyway! If you aren’t a sweet person, then follow this guideline anyway!
5) Get plenty of sleep this holiday season. When you don’t get at least 7 hours a night, your brain curses you with more cravings for sugar during the day. Don’t put yourself in that position to begin with. Set a time that all lights and TV go off each night and settle into an abyss of good restful sleep.
6) Manage your stress levels through the holidays. If you have a tendency to get into fights with family and/or friends, you will use food for comfort, so avoid this dilemma to begin with. If you keep the arguments to a minimum and spend more time in meditation or in yoga classes, then you will learn how to cope with differences much more effectively instead of turning to self destructive behaviors such as overeating on junk food.
7) Find some “me” time (tool #22) every single day so that you enable yourself down time from all the holiday planning. Holidays are a celebration just as much for you as they are for everyone you dedicate yourself to. They aren’t meant to stir up your emotions and make you feel bad. During that “me” time, ask yourself what you did today to enhance your well being. Did you eat the right foods? Did you move enough today? Did you exercise yet? What is your plan? Stick to that plan! You deserve it!
8) Eat small frequent meals each day (tool #31). There is nothing more important than keeping your physiology optimal throughout the day. Small meals decrease the likelihood of overeating, especially at night. Small meals also keep your blood sugars regulated and your mental acuity optimal. If you don’t know what to eat, get Breaking the Chains of Obesity, 107 Tools for some answers and log onto www.jzfitness.com for recipes.
9) Schedule your two optional junk food days (tool #18) as Christmas eve and New Years eve so that you give yourself the official permission slip to just dive into these two days without any sort of guilt. Follow all the other tools mentioned and just know that with a plan, you can plow through the holidays without gaining any weight!