Surviving the Holidays

When it comes to diet and exercise, no other time of year wreaks havoc like November through January. You can also include that little bomb on October 31 when the mimi members of our family bring home buckets of candy. Sure the candy is SUPPOSED to belong to the kids, but let's face it, only about 50% of it makes it to their little bellies. Whether it's tailgating at football games, Thanksgiving, Christmas get-togethers, or New Year's parties, the sights, the scents, and the company always mean there's good food around. How then can you survive without swelling up to two times your size? Here are some great tips to make it to February. 1.) It's called "tupp life" baby. Pack your food!!! Prep your food ahead of time and pack it in a container that can be reheated. I did that for my husband's Christmas party at work. I knew everyone would be eating some yummy catered food and didn't want to mess myself up since I am prepping for another figure competition. Many times you want to feel like you are part of the party and when everyone else is eating around you, you don't want to just sit there. This fixes that. 2.) Eat ahead of time. If you don't mind watching the others stuff themselves then eat before you go so that you aren't hungry. If you would like to join in on the festivities and eat the food that is available it still helps to snack on some healthy food before you arrive at the party, this way portion size is under control. 3.) Eat the healthiest options available. Most parties have veggie and fruit trays, enjoy them. If you're eating a holiday meal at home, then stick with white meat turkey or chicken and veggies. Don't douse everything in butter or gravy. 4.) Keep those portions under control. When it comes to dessert, or any other treat, keep the sizes small. Have 1/8 of the pie or cake, not 1/4 of it. 5.) Watch for liquid calories. While gravy can fall into this category, I'm talking about alcohol and soda mainly. Portion control comes in here as well. One glass of wine will work and give you that fermented fix you crave. And if you're just dying for some pop then have the diet version over the high octane stuff. I hope these little tricks and tips help! You'll be surprised at how many calories you'll cut by implementing one or more of them. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Drink It Up

You always hear the recommendation about drinking 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day. While that is a good suggestion, I think you need to know why drinking water is so important and what the correct amount will be for you. When I was a personal trainer at the Michigan Athletic Club I was given a great formula for the amount of water to try to shoot for a day. If you take your body weight and divide it by half, that number is the number of ounces you should drink a day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should drink at least 75 ounces of water a day. Why drink so much water though? What are the benefits of drinking so much? Let's look at some of the benefits of drinking water: 1.) Water helps regulate body temperature 2.) Water keeps a balance in body fluids. 3.) Water helps keep skin hydrated and clear. 4.) Water helps regulate digestion and bowel movement. 5.) Water aids in flushing toxins out of the body. 6.) Water helps to lubricate joins. 7.) Water keeps the body hydrated, which helps keep the body from cramping Need some tips on how to drink more water? Here are some great ones! 1.) Keep a bottle with you to sip on during the day. 2.) Flavor it with calorie free drops, powders, or fruit. 3.) Drink a bottle of water with each meal. 4.) Begin and end your day with a glass of water. 5.) Put an alarm on your phone, watch, etc to remind you to drink. 6.) Some people drink out of a gallon jug with time lines drawn on it so that they have a certain amount drank by the time listed on the jug. I hope this little blog helps you understand more about why water is important and how much you should try to drink! Drink it up!