Gobble Gobble!!!!
From Coach Lydia at http://lifeismysport.blogspot.comIt’s Thanksgiving day and what do you do?! You get up prep the turkey throw it in the oven; have a cup of coffee and maybe a little bite to eat. You start running through your checklist and time is flying you say there is no time to workout. As you are prepping for the big meal, you are grabbing a bite here and there ---cheese, crackers, a few chips but you completely skip having any decent meals, until you sit down with the family. And instead of eating smart, you gorge on mash potatoes, stuffing, gravies, green beans casserole, etc…. and a cup or two of the holiday cheer. Right?!
I know what you guys are thinking come on Coach Lydia…. It’s Thanksgiving give it a break.
Now I’m not saying you can’t enjoy your holidays, but let’s be smart about it.
Here are some simple focused tips to help you keep on track and not blow it.
Don't: Skip your workout.
Squeeze in a workout wherever you can. How else will you burn off the mash potatoes or Giada’s Italian inspired stuffing you watched her make on the TODAY show. I know schedules can be tight whether you are doing the cooking or traveling to eat someone else’s cooking.
Take 15 minutes of hard and fast—Jumping rope 90 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. You have steps? Run up and down your steps for 2 minutes, burpees for 2 minutes, crunches for 2 minutes keep going till you get to 15 minutes. Sprint up and down your street for 15 minutes. Or simply find 5 exercises you like and do them for 1 minute each (totaling 5 minutes) do it 3x with only 1 minutes rest in between. Going fast and hard will rev up your metabolism to help cope with the day and it's such a surge on your body that it takes your body a lot of effort to get back to beginning state that you can burn extra fat up to 38 hours after that type of intensity. <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]-->
Don’t: Hold out.
The worst thing you can do is “save” for the big meal. Your body burns fat when it’s fueled on a consistent basis. If you starve yourself until the big meal is ready all your hard work up to Turkey day suffers. Be smart and eat breakfast and lunch (healthy meals) and drink LOTS of WATER.
Do: Stay in Control.
Before you dig into the potatoes, butter that roll and dive into the stuffing. Eat protein and veggies first. Protein and veggies are naturally low glycemic and help blunt the blow of not so good carbs. Slowing down how fast your body breaks down the potatoes, stuffing and breads will reduce the chance of you going into fat storing mode.
Next set a meal budget for yourself. Limit yourself to one cocktail, loads of fresh veggies and fruit, one small piece of dessert, etc. I don’t believe in portion control with the right foods, but practicing portion control on the sweets and alcohol can help keep off excess holiday pounds.
Everyone has a holiday favorite—from Mom’s special stuffing to grandma’s pumpkin pie. And if you only get to indulge in these treats once a year, there's no reason to deprive yourself. Just remember: everything in moderation.
Don't: Leave with leftovers.
Post-party indulging plays a huge role in holiday weight gain. You only can fight the temptation of leftover pumpkin pie for so long! Leave behind the leftovers altogether. When I host the festivities, I always make sure my guests go home with leftovers.
Do: Be realistic.
It's likely you won't be motivated to drop five pounds during the holidays—but that doesn't mean you have to gain the average 7-10 lbs, either. Set a goal to maintain your current weight, and worry about actual weight loss once the New Year is in full swing.
Holidays are meant to be enjoyed--- So enjoy: your friends, family and life. Just keep your goals in mind, keep reminding yourself that you are committed to reshaping your health, body and life. Then go and enjoy yourself!
Coach L
To all my friends south of the boarder have a safe and great day tomorrow!
Have a healthy and Successful Day Today!
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