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The holidays are upon us! It’s time to dedicate some thought to how you plan to make it through them without ruining everything you worked so hard for—your current state of health I mean. Assuming you are health conscious (you are reading this column, after all), you may be asking yourself how you will maintain your good eating habits while finding the time to exercise and still enjoy the holidays. One step you can take to avoid some problems on down the road is to lend some thought as to how you’ll lay out your days. Do you need to hit the mall right after work to pick up some gifts? If so, will you be forced to eat fast food so you don’t starve? Why not bring enough healthy food with you to work to cover both lunch as well as dinner? The number one reason people say they are forced to eat unhealthy food is due to lack of time or lack of choice. A little pre-planning should help with this dilemma. Are you the type of person that just accepts your weight gain through the holidays? Well, you need not accept those extra pounds! For starters, there’s no need for you to eat any more food than you usually eat. It’s a misconception that you have to stuff yourself, because you don’t! Eat your foods slowly, chewing each bite just as you normally do. Don’t rush yourself; instead enjoy the food that you or your loved ones worked so hard to prepare. Often times people eat too fast for their stomachs to recognize when they’re truly full, hence the stuffed, bloated feeling that follows. If you know yourself well enough to know that you’ll undoubtedly consume more than you should, then make it a point to do more exercise than you normally would. I’ve said in the past that it’s easy to burn off a few extra calories simply by making a few subtle changes. For starters, you can park away from the entrance and force yourself to walk a little further. It will only take a couple extra minutes of walking, but you will probably save yourself time in the long run by parking right away rather than driving around for 10 minutes looking for the closest spot. Once you’re inside, take the stairs, or at the least, walk the escalator to your destination. Another thing you can do if you’re the procrastinating type, is get your exercise out of the way in the beginning. That way, there won’t be any excuses as to why you couldn’t fit it in. Most likely, no matter what time you arrive at your shopping destination, there will be a crowd anyway! So don’t lie to yourself by saying you will be the first person in the door, because in all likelihood, you won’t. Just making a few small changes throughout the holiday season can save you a lot of regret later on. To summarize, plan the date to avoid the weight! Have a merry holiday season! ©Melissa Allen, Optimum Condition. Melissa is a certified personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well as the owner of Optimum Condition—custom fitness services and mobile personal training. She is a self-syndicated columnist who welcomes input from her readers, so please contact her with any questions or comments by calling (619) 252-4993, or visit her website at www.OptimumCondition.com.
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