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Ten more ways, Grand County, to enjoy healthy holidays

Jackie Wright / The Fitness Trail
Never Summer Fitness LLC
Owner/Manager
Grand County, Colorado

This week, we continue the 60 ways to stay fit and healthy during the holiday season with the following 10 tips.

1) You still can enjoy a special holiday dessert without breaking the calorie bank. Just substitute higher caloric value foods, such as pecan pie at 480kcal per slice, for a lower calorie alternative such as pumpkin pie at 180kcal per slice.

2) Plan and prepare your holiday meals in advance, if possible, so that you are not spending the entire day in the kitchen, which may reduce your stress level. This way you can actually enjoy the day with your family and friends.



3) Eat when you are hungry and avoid mindless nibbling. Just because the food is there does not mean you need to consume it. Savor your holiday favorites moderately and leave the other foods behind.

4) Use smaller wine glasses rather than the huge “bowls” that are so popular these days. True, the wine may “open” up a little easier with a larger glass, but it also may hold twice as much as a smaller glass. A serving of wine is approximately 110-120kcal for three-four ounces of wine. One glass of wine consumed daily, 365 days a year, is approximately 12.5 pounds a year.



5) Exercise on holidays. Take a walk or a hike but get your workout in that day. You may eat less, feel less stressful and more energetic.

6) Encourage your visitors to join you for some exercise before and after your holiday meal. How about a game of touch football?

7) Encourage family and friends to help clean up the mess from the holiday meal. It will take less time, be less stressful and conserve your energy so that you have more time to spend together.

8) Start out the holiday season the way you want to end it up. Think about how you would like to feel the day after each big holiday meal or party and how good you would like to feel when the holiday season is over. Then, set about making that good “feeling” a reality.

9) Purchase a cookbook (or ask for one on your wish list) that features healthy, low calorie meals and learn how to prepare those meals now. Then, offer those meals during the holiday season between the special meals. By the time the holiday season is complete, you will already know how to prepare healthy, low calorie meals for the new year.

10) Give or ask for the gift of fitness this year. Purchase a gift certificate for a personal training session or sessions from a certified, qualified and experienced personal trainer or ask your fitness professional what types of gift certificates they would recommend for the one you love, or the one who loves you.

Next week, look for 10 more ways to stay healthy and fit during the holiday season.

” Jackie Wright can be reached at her e-mail address: NSFGL@comcast.net or her blog at http://www.skyhidailynews.com


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