In October and November, we talked about planning your exercise and eating and overcoming obstacles that may arise during the holidays. Use this checklist to see how you are doing:

• Is your shopping done? Do you have gifts on hand for unexpected events?
• Did you make a list of exercise or activity options (including indoor exercise)? Have you found ways to be active with your kids or burn extra calories while “multitasking”?
• How are those quick and easy healthy meals going?
• Have you resolved to keep up some exercise during this time, even if it is less, instead of putting it off?
• Are you eating foods you enjoy, including holiday goodies, but eating only when hungry and stopping when you are full?

• Try ten-minute workouts – they do have benefits! (It’s about the cumulative time spent throughout the day, not just one particular workout.) Some ideas:
  
  
  • Perform one set of exercises, to fatigue, for each of the major muscle groups (legs, chest, back, arms, and abdominals).
  • Try a quick cardio blast: start at an easy intensity to warm up for one minute then perform a variety of moves to increase your intensity for the next eight minutes (you should feel like you’re “working”). End with a one-minute cool down.
  • How about a yoga break performing ten minutes of sun salutation? You can find this series of yoga poses online or in most yoga books.
  
  
• Avoid crowded malls and finish your shopping online. There are many websites that have almost anything you need, and your favorite stores probably have websites too. During the holidays you can often find great deals, like free shipping!
• Carry individual serving size snacks for those times you get hungry while away from home. Items such as nuts, bars, peanut butter and crackers, and string cheese work well.
• Get plenty of sleep! This will help with stress, keep your appetite in check and maintain your energy.

You can do this! Promise yourself this year will be a less-stressed, fun, and relaxing holiday season. You deserve it!

Return to top

My sister-in-law has a great plan set up with my brother: every week they trade off a night of babysitting. One night she goes to volleyball and on another night her husband (my brother) goes to softball. This allows them to each enjoy a sport that they love and to spend one-on-one time with their one-year-old daughter. What a gift they are giving, not only to each other, but also to their daughter.

This shows me that it is possible for me to take care of myself and get my needs met while allowing my family and friends to do the same. We can support one another and we each win.

During the final stretch of 2005, what support do you need? Who could you ask for help, or trade time with? Often what is difficult or un-enjoyable for one person is do-able, and even fun, for another. Think creatively about how you can get your needs met and how you can give the same gift to someone else. It’s less expensive than hitting the mall, but infinitely more valuable.

To your health,

Heather Moreno
PeopleFit USA , President

Return to top

1. Achieving Physical Wealth: 8 Simple Steps for Breaking the Rules of Saying Fit – My first book! A great help for people who are fed up with following The Rules and want a simple way to get and stay fit – no dieting or extreme exercise programs required. Discounts available for bulk purchases. order form

   Price: $17.95

2. The Caltrac – Your "personal activity coach" calculates the exercise and activity calories you burn throughout the day and provides you with an estimated metabolic rate based on your personal information. It's a great fat-loss tool, giving you minute-by-minute results. You are motivated to move more and reach your goals faster. The Caltrac is one of the most reasonably priced and accurate calorie measurement tools available. order form

   Price: $69.95

3. Polar S120 Heart Rate Monitor – Different exercise intensities beget different benefits. The Polar S120 is comfortable and easy to wear, providing you with the right information so that you don't waste time exercising at the wrong intensity. This heart rate monitor allows you to see your results instantly so that you will be confident you are spending every minute of exercise achieving your goals. order form
   

   Price: $119.95

4. The Training Fan – This is truly a fitness training guide. The compact fan shows photos and gives specific directions of exercises for each body part whether using no equipment (body weight), minimal equipment (bands and dumbbells), or gym machines. It also combines series of exercises to provide you with several overall-body workouts, as well as stretches for each body part. order form

   Price: $24.95

5. Accusplit Alliance 1590 Activity Pedometer - Measure your activity steps, distance (miles), and calories. The pedometer includes an automatic activity stopwatch and clock. order form
   

   Price: $19.95

6. Be Fit Now Exercise Companion CD – You don’t have to waste your time struggling to get through one more cardio workout! Learn how to maximize every cardio workout. Take the guesswork out of determining your intensity levels and hit the peaks that produce results. Just follow the simple voice prompts and enjoy high-energy music on this cardio workout CD. Plus, you can take it with you anywhere and use it any time. order form

   Price: $24.95

7. The Un-Dieting CD set – Learn: how diets are the leading cause of weight issues; how to take back your power back from the dieting industry; how to find your natural body weight; the psychology of weight management; and how self esteem and communication skills can be at the root of your weight issues. order form

   Price: $39.95

Order two or more items by December 15th and receive a 20% holiday discount! Click Here to Order Now!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Return to top

You won’t gain ten pounds sitting around the dinner table with your family in front of that glorious feast! It’s not the holidays making you gain weight; it is all of the days in between. If you go from Halloween to New Years Day impulse eating and nibbling, the pounds will add up.

Because the holiday season is filled with emotion and stress, it can lead to overeating. Another way we gain unwanted pounds is making poor choices when it comes to food selection. Everyone is busy enough as it is, but then add the necessary shopping, the kid’s holiday recitals, and the everyday running around that the holidays bring on and we find ourselves in the “drive-thrus” and coffee shops of the world ordering something fast and not-so-good-for-us.

Remember these four simple rules during the holiday rush…

1. Don’t eat unconsciously. Be aware of what you are eating. Have extra snack packs on hand so that you will have something available with you while shopping and run errands– that way you control the healthiness and the calorie content of what you eat.

2. On that big day, go ahead fill up your plate! Eat Slowly. This applies every time you eat. Wait 15 minutes before thinking about seconds.

3. Don’t deprive yourself. This is a time of celebration, family and happiness. It is okay to have what you want, just have smaller portions.

4. Don’t keep fatty foods in the house. With the influx of fruit cake and too many boxes of chocolate this may be tough. Keep a little for yourself and get rid of the extras! Bring the goodies to your place of business, or give them away to your friends as they leave your house after a get together.

If your family has a favorite recipe that is loaded with fat and calories and it just wouldn’t be the same cooked any other way, remember you can have some; just remember to say when. And, if you’re too busy to cook yourself, Susan’s Healthy Gourmet has all sorts of healthy holiday treats and feasts!

About The Author: Susan Johnson is the founder of Susan's Healthy Gourmet, which provides fresh, nutritionally balanced, and calorie-controlled meals that are individually prepared and packaged to order. To learn more you can call 1.888.396.3257 (EZ-MEALS) or visit them on the Web at www.susanshealthygourmet.com (be sure to mention Heather Moreno & PeopleFit USA when you call).
You can also register for Susan's the popular online
monthly newsletter, Susan's Healthy Lifestyle, at http://www.susanshealthygourmet.com/newsletter/default.asp

Return to top