Healthy Holiday Habits

This post is written by Jaymes Askins (NASM CPT), a personal trainer who I've been working with at Club Fitness since early spring. Jaymes personalized a program for me and has been working with me toward my primary goal of improving my health. In the 10 months I've been working with him, I've been able to eliminate two medications and cut two more to half doses. Since the beginning of the year, I am also down about 40 pounds and 3 pant sizes, so I don't want to blow it over the holidays. I asked Jaymes for some tips and then asked if I could share them here.

Healthy Holiday Habits and Reminders

The holidays are coming and that means it is time to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, that also means an easy opportunity to overindulge in hearty unhealthy foods, drastically reduce our activity levels, and leave us with a whole lot of regret to bring in the New Year.

I have a few simple tips to help guide you through this diet disaster season.

Drinks

Let’s start with beverages. Eggnog tastes great but that taste doesn’t last nearly as long as the regret from drinking it. As far as alcohol goes, a little bit to celebrate will not harm you, but beware when considering the extra glass of spiked cider. The xylitol and heavy processed sugar in alcohol tend to induce overeating and leave you craving easily accessible sugars.

Moderation

We are all human and no one has the perfect diet, but moderation is key. One piece of pie will not hurt you, but with one piece averaging out to 500 calories, it is equivalent to an extra meal without the health benefits. Be sensible with how often you are eating, how much you are eating, and try to eat about every 2 ½ hours to prevent yourself from splurging. 

Quick, Easy Exercise Circuit 

During this time of the year is it easy to fall off your exercise routine. Exercise will not only prevent holiday weight gain, but will also reduce your stress levels. Keep it simple. Do not get overwhelmed with fitting hours at the gym into your work, shopping, and family time. A quick 15-minute circuit every day can make a world of difference. I suggest something as easy as jogging in place for thirty seconds, pushups for thirty seconds, jumping jacks for thirty seconds and a final thirty seconds with more pushups. Complete this circuit 5-7 times with a few seconds of rest in between each set and that will complete your 15-minute per day holiday workout plan. 

If you look forward to stepping on the scale and smiling after the holidays are over, then remember these tips:

• moderation is key
• eat small meas often
• always fit in a quick workout

Wishing everyone a safe
and happy holiday season! 

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James Askins is opening Phase 5 Training on January 2. Jaymes' philosophy - Most people fail at reaching their fitness goals due to the fact that most exercise programs out there can be boring or just simply not tailored to meet their specific fitness goal. This is where I come in. I believe working out should not only be challenging but also fun and exciting while maintaining our focus on your long-term fitness goals. I will consistently challenge your body by keeping your workouts different every time we meet. It’s about time you get excited about working out again so let me help you get the body and life you deserve.
If interested in training with Jaymes, his information is -
Phone: (314) 601-3606
Email: jaymesaskins@p5personaltraining.com
Web site: http://p5personaltraining.com