Many folk view the holidays as a ‘wash-out’, and resign themselves to going on a pilgrimage of gorging their way to a 10-15lbs weight gain and never give the though to a personal trainer in Los Angeles! It is possible with learning a few tricks and adjustments to cruise through the holiday period which in the US is from Halloween thru to the 1st of the year, without the help of myself or someone in my field.
By using and incorporating these tips this holiday season you will be still smiling January 1st!
1. USE A SMALLER PLATE at your parties or the ones that you go to. This will give you a full plate of food, and trick your mind into thinking it’s full. The result will be a dramatically reduced overall caloric intake.
2. DRINK A COFFEE about 20 minutes before going out, as this will not only speed up your metabolism by as much as 15 per cent, but at the same time help curb your appetite, so that you eat less at the party.
3. MAKE A SALAD OR MIXED GREENS the first thing that you eat, opting to have them in place of canapes, or the usual unhealthful ‘tray’ snacks that get passed around, therefore avoiding their super high calorie content. The roughage in greens gives them the benefit that they will make you feel satisfied and full, so that you will eat less by the time the main courses with all the high cal sides are passed around.
4. DRINK plenty of water as this will control your urge to overeat, at the same time helping you drink less of the calorie laden holiday drinks.
5. PLAN FOR A CHEAT MEAL. Planning a ‘cheat’ meal around your social calendar is a great way of rewarding yourself while staying on track and enjoying the holiday festivities at the same time.
6. STUDY CALORIC VALUES OF DIFFERENT FOODS. This is a great way of gaining an awareness of the caloric values of various foods, and then being able to gauge whether they are worth having or skipping altogether? As most of us have a phone with internet search capabilities, just Google the type of food to get the caloric value.
7. LEARN TO SAY I’LL PASS. Many of us feel obliged to accept a dessert every time we are offered one during the holiday period… It’s okay to say “I’ll pass this time”, as they will still be your friend , and so will your jeans!!!
8. EAT A SNACK BEFORE YOU GO OUT. This is a good way to eat less of the high calorie, unhealthful foods so often served at parties. It will control your eating and still give you the ability to enjoy the food of the season without overeating.
9. TAKE A HEALTHY CHOICE TO A PARTY. I’m sure that you like me are asked from time to time to bring something to parties. This is an excellent time to start a good habit with what you do yourself, by taking a healthy snack or food. This will help you to know that there is at least one thing that you can eat while at the party.
10. ENJOY. If all else fails and you find yourself indulging, don’t regret it… enjoy and cut out carbohydrate the following day. This will help you to burn the excess stored calories.
Remember to enjoy the process!!!
Are these the only 10 points to empower you to stay in shape over the holidays? Of course not! These are intended as tools to help you get through a time of year that most people go off course, and then have the hard uphill task of getting back on it the 1st of the year. My wish for you is two take from these tips what you will, and hit the ground running January 1st 2012.
-NicholasIf you are in the Los Angeles area and you would like a complimentary one-on-one assessment with Personal Trainer in L.A. Nicholas Barrett, please don't hesitate to get in touch! Personal trainer Los Angeles. Los Angeles personal trainer. Personal trainer marina del rey.
