December is such a special month of the year – quality time with family, exchanging gifts, and sumptuous food all month long! Yes, the first two things are so lovely to have, but too much of the Christmas appetite would also mean that you have to put up some pounds also. To avoid doing that, you need to practice several things. And mind you, avoiding the much awaited Christmas foods is a very hard task to do, and that is why you need to read these tips we have provided.
The first tip is to start with your mind. Thinking about the foods that come with the Christmas season will only lead you to crave for more. However, it does not mean that you would not have to taste them at all. Start by inculcating moderation in your mind. That way, you would have a voice in your head that will tell you that even if the food you eat contains just a small amount of fat, you should still eat in moderation.
The next tip is to watch what you eat. The nutritional facts on the back of the things you eat will help you decide how much you will have of that food. The safe amount of calories to eat per day would be a thousand. Any food that will let you go over that in one seating should be avoided. You can also check out health books or the internet for low-calorie treats that could replace the usual Christmas food in your diet. That way, you would not have to skip the fun eating part but you can skip the dreaded weight gain part.
Lastly, never eat on a binge basis. You might think that you need to get a load of a certain food because you didn’t eat any of it since the Christmas season started. That thought is enough to lead you to binge eating. What would happen is that you may make it a habit, and that habit is surely unhealthy. Whatever you eat, eat just a healthy amount. Do not reserve some for after dinner or for some time later. Binge eating will also lead you to crave for more of that certain food. If you ever find yourself struggling over whether or not to eat something, just remember to take a deep breath adn remind yourself that being healthy and feeling healthy and energetic is more important to you than the fleeting pleasure (a few seconds at the most) that binge eating will give you. It’s about being conscious of your priorities. This removes the stress and struggle and allows your to enjoy eating in a healthy way.
Following these self-control tips will greatly aid you in maintaining your weight all throughout the holiday season. Also, if you want to keep the weighing scale results in a downward trend then continue your exercise at home by buying your personal fitness equipment and pair that with a healthy diet and you will surely keep the pounds off yourself. In conclusion, spending each Christmas healthily will let you experience more of it in the future.
Tips To Avoid Weight Gain This December
5 Fitness Tips For Teens
Want to get fit but don’t know where to start? Teens have unique issues when it comes to getting fit and staying active. But there is no more perfect time than to start an exercise routine when you are still in your teens. Starting now will create habits that will keep you healthy for a lifetime.
5 Fitness Tips for Teens
Don’t be embarrassed. So what if you can’t run a mile? Who cares if you can only do “girly push-ups”? Don’t worry if your fat jiggles when you walk! Everybody has to start somewhere and nobody starts out as an elite athlete. So many people don’t start exercising because they are too embarrassed. I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard, “Oh, I’ll join a gym after I lose 20 lbs.” This is ridiculous! Get over yourself and just get moving. Start small. Nobody expects you to run 10 miles or bench-press 200lbs on your first day. You need to work up to these things. In fact, if you do too much too quickly you’re likely to either burn out or seriously injure yourself. Walking is good. Do both cardio and weights. Many teens do one or the other, but for faster results, you should do both cardio and weight training. Don’t worry girls…you won’t bulk up like a body builder. You will simply be healthy and strong. Muscles need time to repair. You should not exercise the same group of muscles two days in a row…this includes abs! Your muscles need time to repair and grow stronger. Give them a break. Find a buddy. Things are easier when you’ve got someone to help you along the way. Team up with a friend and exercise together. Even if you can’t exercise together, you can still motivate each other. Can’t find anyone to work out with you? How about the family dog? I’m sure he’d love to go for a walk with you.
It’s a lot easier to start a fitness program than you might think and I hope that these tips help to get you on the right track.
For more fitness tips for teens, check out the teen section at Better Off Fat [http://www.better-off-fat.com/teenage-diet-plan.html]
Summer Time Fitness Tips
It can become really hot and humid over the summer months depending on where you live. So how do you keep your fitness routine going during this hot and sticky time?
If your fitness routine was primarily performed outdoors see if you can change the time of day you exercise. Is it possible to fit it into your schedule before the sun is up, this way you can enjoy the cool freshness of the morning air. If not how about later into the evening, once the sun is setting?
If you cycle you can always set up an indoor cycle mount for those extremely hot conditions and quickly take your bike off and back outside when the humidity has passed.
Another option would be to take your routine inside or if not possible, how about doing something totally different during the summer months? Instead of walking or running, take up swimming. This is a great way to keep your fitness routine fresh and interesting. Maybe you can take in a few swimming lessons or join an aqua fit class. There is nothing as great as giving your body some new muscles to work.
If you love what you do and don’t want to change things then there are some easy things to do to avoid getting sunburnt or having to deal with sunstroke.
• Try to stay out of the sun if possible
• Use a protective sunscreen
• Drink extra water while exercising
• Allow your body to cool down slowly – no jumping into a cold shower while your body is overheated
• Exercise at a slower rate and intensity
Always make sure you are giving your body enough nutrition especially before and after you exercise. Feeding your body is going to give you the endurance to continue with your routine during warmer than normal periods.
Wear clothing that allows your body to breathe; you don’t want to be breaking a cold sweat out in the heat. The same goes for your shoes, make sure your feet won’t overheat and cause blisters to form.
It might be a wise idea to invest in a heart rate monitor so you can really see how your body is dealing with the heat and adjust your routine accordingly.
By taking precautions you can still keep your fitness routine going, you just need to be willing to make some adjustments when necessary.
Fitness Tips and Tricks
Most people do not realize that fitness is all about tips and tricks to decrease the amount of time spent in a gym, increase efficacy of each workout, and improve outcome in less time. In order to succeed with fitness goals, it is imperative that you have a plan.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of people that I know do not have a targeted plan to in their fitness quest. Think about your health in a similar way as you think about a job and you will reap much better results from your program.
For example, consider a typical day for me at the office:
6:45am – arrive at the office, check email, make a cup of coffee
7:00am – 12pm – see patients and clients, take notes on each session
12-1pm – Lunch + respond to emails
1-6pm – see patients and clients, catch up on paperwork, prepare for following day
Now, let’s take a look at how this same model could be used in a workout program:
Minutes 0-3 – warm up, elevate heart rate by about 10-15 beats per minute
Minutes 3-20 – Cardio or interval training
Minutes 20-40 – begin first rotation through a circuit, focusing on form and functional, whole body movements
Minutes 40-43 – rest after twenty minutes of nearly continuous movement, interrupted by short rest periods of 30-60 seconds as needed.
Minutes 43-60 – repeat circuit, record results, prepare for next workout by mentally rehearsing before leaving the gym.
Basically, we are doing the same thing in both scenarios. By choosing to arrive a couple of minutes early, warming up (checking email), beginning our workout routine with a specific goal in mind for both cardio and weight training (see patients and clients, take notes), taking a break (lunch time), repeating the process (patients and clients), and preparing for the following day we are at a huge advantage.
First of all, we are making the most of every moment in the gym. Secondly, we are visualizing success during a proud moment by mentally rehearsing the following routine. This is a key to fitness success – belief system. Belief system affects everything we do. In order to become fit, at some point, you will have to believe in yourself. Most people choose to believe in small steps. While this is a great way to offer yourself positive reinforcement, I encourage all of my clients to visualize complete success with long-term goals, and then begin to rationalize smaller ones from there. This is a much easier way of determining your overall progress in achieving something that is actually meaningful.