Happy New Years!

Photo Courtesy of  www.dailywordbuzz .com

Happy New Years! This may seem a tad premature but bear with me for a moment.  As I've been reflecting on the close of 2010 there are a few thoughts that come to mind.  The one thing as sure as the ball drop in NYC is the influx of people to our local gyms. You can be sure that the classes at ymca, the cheam, or she's fit here in Chilliwack will be full to the brim and the same is true throughout the country. Boot camps will be filling fast and many exercise hopefuls will be making their resolution lists.  But what about today? We tend to look at New Years as this magical time to set the stage of who we ideally want to be (or look like, or feel like). We also are quick to do this with Mondays. This Monday I'll join that class or This Monday I'll start watching what I eat...  The problem with this is that we can get stuck in the planning stage and forget about the doing.

How about we make every day New Years Day? Permanent Change to your physical appearance doesn't happen with good intentions. It happens with day by day dedication. What would we look like 6 months from now if no matter what, we treated each day with the same zest and dare I say attack:) as January 1st? The real issue with resolutions is that we can tend to go all or nothing. (Hence the empty again gyms come March) I'm a total advocate for setting goals but we can set ourselves up for failure with sweeping statements like I'm going to lose 30lbs in 6 weeks. So how do I make every day New Years? My simple permanent resolution is to make sure that no matter what, every day, I commit to moving my body. Being active in some way. This could be as simple as going for a walk with my kids to running 20k on the rotary trail to pumping out a set of push-ups. My active goal could be 5 minutes or 2 hours. As long as I've moved my body in a purposeful way, I've succeeded.

So go ahead and head out to those classes our attend one of my upcoming bootcamps:) but why not do something today. Shake the turkey and pumpkin pie off and head out for a hike. Over the next few weeks my posts will be centered on strategies to succeed with all your fitness goals so stay tuned and Happy New Years!

Sarah

Taming your holiday eating

                                                    photo courtesy of www.farfromboring.com

Good morning all! Well it seems as though the holiday season is in full swing along with Christmas parties, eating, cookie exchanges, eating, gift giving, eating, family gatherings, eating... Are you catching my drift? Now more than ever, all our social gatherings surround food. Not just any food but all the sinfully delicious ooey gooey holiday treats.  So the dilemma becomes... Do you just give in and pay penance on the treadmill come January 1st, do you deprive yourself and feel like the food martyr for the holidays or could there really be (hope among hope) a happy medium?? Be glad, for I have holiday cheer! You can not only survive but thrive at the smorgasbord that is the holiday feast! Here are a few tips to make the most of your munching!

1. Never go to a party or event on an empty stomach. This pretty much spells disaster, particularly when it's a later dinner party.  Before leaving home, grab a cup of soup or small apple with some peanut butter. Those calories you consume beforehand will be just enough to prevent you from going crazy with the holiday treats.  When you're not starving you make better decisions.

2.  Always bring along a dish. When you're invited to an open house or Christmas dinner, make sure you offer to bring something. As well as being just good social etiquette, it also ensures that at least one dish at the party will be healthy.  Oven roasted veggies is a favorite of mine. Roughly chop some carrots, parsnips, onions, peppers, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and some fresh herbs of your liking and roast away. So flavorful and just a little different from the typical salad. For a more festive appy, you could make skewered cherry tomatoes, mozza cubes (light cheese of course!), and fresh basil leaves. A beautiful presentation and healthy too!

3. Choose wisely.  When everywhere you look all you see is cookies, bars, treats, pies and cakes, it's easy to overindulge. My #1 rule of thumb is to pick one or two bite sized treats that you can't get any other time of year. A favorite of mine has always been the nanaimo bar so that's always on my list:) Be picky and actually stop to enjoy what you're eating. How many times do we grab something, stuff it into our mouths and swallow it down before we even realize we've done  it?

4. Step away from the buffet! Seat yourself strategically away from the food. If you're standing next to the appys they will end up on your waist.

5. Give the gift of baking. For some of us the holidays just aren't the same without scads of holiday baking.  It's not just the treats but the enjoyment of baking and filling the house with mouth watering morsels.  For those of us who struggle with will power, however, this can really be a recipe for disaster.  I, for instance, cannot live in a house with ginger cookies. Left to my own devices, I could polish off a dozen in one sitting without thinking twice. But I also don't want to feel deprived. An easy solution is to gift away the majority of your baking. It's a blessing both for you and your friends.  Who doesn't love to receive a tin of holiday goodies. That way you can have a few of your holiday favorites and also show others that you appreciate them.

6.  Have a strong foundation. Stock up on veggies.  This is not only for the holidays but throughout the year.  Every meal and snack should have some sort of fruit or veggie. The fiber, vitamins, minerals and low caloric count make these vital to your eating plan.  When these are the mainstays of your diet, the other indulgences will be negligible.  So what do I really mean? At your main meals half of your plate should be veggies. I'm not talking about that green bean casserole that's loaded with butter and cream either. Fresh, roasted or steamed is the way to go. At snacktime, opt for fruit and cheese instead of cookies and treats. 

So with these basic rules of thumb, you can safely maneuver your way through the holidays and still look great come January!

Merry Christmas everyone!
Sarah