Selena DeLeon, Contributor
'TIS THE season to be jolly and come January it will be obvious who has been naughty and who has been nice. All of us want to enjoy ourselves, and yes, we all can, but it does not have to be at the expense of your health or your body.
Going into excess throughout December can cause you to drag your feet into the gym come the New Year, if you give up your diet and your fitness totally. It is easy to be inactive and gain more than a few pounds, but this can really ruin your physical and mental drive. Making the decision to live a balanced lifestyle over the holidays will ensure that you go right back into healthy performance mode come 2004.
We all know that excess calories are stored as fat, and each pound of fat represents 3,500 stored calories. During the four weeks of December, it is very easy to go into excess if your calorie consumption and calorie output (exercise) is not kept in careful equilibrium. In fact, if you manage to maintain your weight throughout this season with so many opportunities to eat and overeat, you should be congratulated.
Whatever damage is done during December can only be improved in January, this is always true, but beware of sabotaging all of the progress that you have worked hard to achieve during the last six months. Going back to your healthy regime is harder, both physically and mentally, if you have taken 10 steps back.
Believe it or not there are ways to balance your calories and still enjoy yourself! Here are a few tips to help you keep your head above water, while still allowing yourself a dip, so to speak.
Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Drinking on an empty stomach or when you're hungry makes you more inclined to pig out on fattening foods.
If you are going to have a drink, do water chasers to counter the dehydrating effect of the alcohol.
Sorrel is a must. It has a lot of vitamin C and sugar, try mixing it with an artificial sweetener to conserve on the calories.
Watch the combination of dessert and alcohol, both are rich with empty calories. Make up your mind to balance and choose between one or the other on any one day.
Indulge in a thin slice (sliver) of Christmas cake (200 calories, 5 grams of fat); hold the butter sauce.
If you have had a day or evening of heavy eating or drinking, make it a point to do some exercise on the following day and/or cut back on your calories (not by skipping meals, but by enjoying lighter food choices for your next meal).
Do not overestimate your body's ability to burn calories. It's a lot easier to put the calories in than to burn them off.
See chart above for the minutes of exercise required to burn off these foods
Please Note:
All exercise times are approximated and based on a 150 pound healthy woman. Values will vary depending on the individual's age, muscle mass, fitness, and the level of exertion. Be conservative with your holiday sins and preserve your motivation for the New Year. Remember that you are in control of the choices that you make.
Selena DeLeon is a certified professional trainer.
