Holiday Fitness Hints

by Cindy Gering

At this time of year, we are all faced with yet another season of busy-ness, poor eating habits and calorie-laden cookie platters, meat and cheese trays and decadent desserts that are just impossible to resist. 

My theory is to not deny myself, but to find balance in the moment and make lifestyle adjustments that last for a lifetime, so that I don’t have to deprive myself of the “sweeter” things in life, as long as it is in moderation.  One of the things I do is to make a point to exercise vigorously at least 3 times a week, but I believe just as importantly in making small changes in my daily habits that will last for a lifetime.  I believe we are to be good stewards of our bodies so that we can remain healthy and be most effective to accomplish God’s will and purpose in our lives. I would like to share some of these with you.

Cindy’s Top 10 Personal Tips:

1.       Cut out the soda and replace it with water (this includes diet soda).  I realize this is easier said than done.  When I found out I was pregnant with my first daughter 25 years ago, I kicked the soda habit and haven’t looked back since.  It was one area that I could sacrifice the calories fairly easily.  If this is a more difficult area for you (like it is for my husband), cut back to one a day for a month, then one every other day, etc.  Eventually, you will be surprised that you don’t “need” it and be amazed over the calories you are saving.  Realizing that diet soda is calorie free, it is important to note that if there is still a “need” for this on a regular basis, then there might be a dependency that needs to be dealt with.  Personally, I believe that diet soda is just as unhealthy as regular soda.  Regardless, it has no nutritional value to offer as you seek to become a healthier, well rounded person (no pun intended :)).

2.       Trade in your white bread for whole wheat or whole grain bread.  Make sure it has “whole” in the name, not just “wheat”.  Watch the “extra” breads too, such as bagels, hamburger and hot dog buns, etc.  Also, trade in your white rice for brown rice.

3.       Don’t stress out, waste time or fight for the close parking spaces at the market or the mall.  Compromising safety is never an option, but other than that, make it a point to park farther away so that you can get in those extra steps and burn a few extra calories.  And yes, this even includes cold weather.  It actually invigorates and energizes me to take a nice brisk walk out in the cold and the distance from a parking spot at the end of the lot can many times be just the right distance to get an extra burst of energy for your shopping trip!

4.       When you have the option, choose the stairs rather than the elevator.  Rick and I have a standing rule that if it’s five floors or less, we take the stairs.  If you set your guidelines beforehand, then it takes away the temptation to cave in the moment.

5.       Try to incorporate a “whole foods” approach to your diet and lifestyle.  ("Whole foods" - that is, foods that are as close to their natural form as possible.)  I will talk more about this in the next Wow Connect!.

6.       Begin your day with a tall glass of water before allowing coffee.  Then make sure you get 7 more cups throughout the day.

7.       I always try to eat a healthy, balanced breakfast within 30 minutes of waking, to jump-start my metabolism, and resist eating anything after 8:00 in the evening, so as to have everything well digested before going to bed.

8.       Portion control is key.  I try to abide by a guideline of one moderate serving of everything, with seconds allowed on vegetables when it is a home cooked meal.  At a restaurant, where servings are generally 2-4 times the normal serving size, I either see if I can order a children’s meal, or take half of my meal home for lunch the next day.  This is beneficial on the wallet, as well! 

9.       Turn off the TV!!  There is overwhelming research that links television watching to obesity, due to a sedentary lifestyle that accompanies it.  Do you find that the TV is the first thing to go on in the morning or the last thing off at night?  Kick the habit and invest your time and energy into doing something productive, such as take up a new hobby, clean out those closets or cupboards or better yet, invest in someone who may need a good friend to talk to or share a cup of coffee with.

10.   Be a “nibbler”!  Keep your blood sugar levels balanced by nibbling on healthy snacks (to include dark chocolate) throughout the day.  I find that if I’m not “starving” by the time I sit down to a meal, I will be able to make more logically healthy choices at mealtime and eat less overall! 

If you begin with just a few changes at a time, make a habit of them, then add a few more at a time, the benefits will far outweigh the sacrifices.  You will begin to become more aware of the small things that can have big impact when combined with other healthy choices.  Then, when it comes time to enjoying the Pumpkin Cheesecake at the office party, you can enjoy it with a clear conscience.  Just be sure to ask for a “to go” box so that you can take half of it home with you!  :)

Fall Family Fitness!

by Ashley Haeberle

It’s that time of the year where we tend to justify why we are eating more than usual because New Year’s resolutions are right around the corner!  You know who you are :)  I know because I am one of them! Seems fair, right?  Well, I guess we could justify why we aren’t eating the way we should (portion control being the most important aspect of eating right, in my opinion).  We could tell ourselves that we will start working out again after January 1^st.   But why would we do that when we can have the best of both worlds? 

Now, I understand that this time of the year is very busy, and it really is hard to find the time to get to the gym or even out on the road for a jog. But you can find 20 minutes, I promise! It might be 5am, or 11pm but you can find the time! 

Try this: It’s called the 300 workout. Basically you do 300 reps of whatever you want! Here’s how I would do it: 50 squats, 50 right leg lunges, 50 left leg lunges, 50 push ups, 50 crunches and 50 jump ropes. By the way, you don’t really need a jump rope, just pretend like you have one and go through the motions. Do that everyday, preferably along with some cardio, and you will be on your way to being a fitness guru! 

So, see? You can go through the holidays without completely undoing what you worked all year for (or didn’t work all year for). :)   Did you know that in 2-3 weeks of being sedentary, you will lose 3 months worth of muscle building? I don’t tell you that to depress you, but to hopefully help you realize how important it is to be consistent in your exercise. Your muscles (and your jeans) will thank you! 

Okay, enough about that, how about some ideas that can get your whole family moving! Fall, I think, is the best time of the year to get active as a family. One of my family’s favorite things to do is go on a walk around the neighborhood after dinner every night. This is great because the worst thing you can do is plop down on the couch after filling your belly with food. Get moving so your food can digest more quickly, leaving less opportunity for it to settle in a place you don't want it!  Go on hikes, bike rides, or anything else you can find to do that is physically active and healthy for your family. We love jumping on the trampoline, swimming at an indoor pool and going to the Monkey House (a building filled with huge bounce-around houses for kids…and parents...to play on). I think Ricky and I enjoy the Monkey House more than the kids do, and I’m usually out of breath and super sweaty by the time we go home. But it’s all worth it because it’s so much fun!  

So, remember this: don’t be miserable around the holidays.  Eat yummy food--just remember portion control, keep exercising and get your family involved! Most of all, enjoy this beautiful time of the year, and thank God for His wonderful creation!

Under Construction!!

Check back October 1, 2011. :)