Fit For Life: Making a List…Checking it Twice!

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Matt Espeut, GoLocalProv Health +Lifestyle Contributor

 

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Matt Espeut

How about a puppy? Or, a kitten? I know…a Lexus wrapped up with a big red bow? Nah…give the most valuable gift of all - give the gift that pays you back…the gift of fitness and health. Lets face it, the holidays are a stressful time for most people. Why? Because most people are doing it all wrong. The holidays should be a time to relax, and enjoy family, friends, and some good food and drink, not a time you should be getting pulled in different directions, fighting for parking spots at the mall, wondering what to buy people, and doing damage to your body by excessively drinking and eating. But a lot of us do it, and a lot of us later regret it when we are 8-12 lbs heavier, and need to make some stupid resolution that we will probably never keep. Festive Food.

Lets not go there this year!!  Here are a few tips that will keep you sane, and fit through the holiday season.  First of all, stick to your healthy nutrition plan. Keep up the meal frequency, and you won’t be hungry. You should be on a plan that has you eating “small and nutritious” every three hours. We do this to keep our metabolism high, and to avoid extreme hunger. When you are hungry, you will more likely make a bad decision or overeat. Stay the course, and keep preparing your healthy holiday meals.

Party Time. If you are going to a party or holiday dinner, eat something good first. Have a protein drink, piece of chicken, or some raw nuts. This will also help you limit the amount of damage you do when you arrive at your destination. Drink and be merry.

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Alternate alcohol with water. Have a drink, but make round two a water. “The solution for pollution is dilution”. Drink lots of water when you drink booze, and you will consume less, and feel better the next day. Hydrate those muscles that you worked so hard for. Presents.

When buying presents think health. Here are a few ideas that some of your friends/family might appreciate: - Gift cards from Whole Foods or other organic, natural retailers (do your research!) Nothing better than getting to the register, and not peeling off those bills, or swiping that credit card.

- Gift baskets – make it more personal, make up a gift basket with items such as olive oil, nice vinegar, and some unique spices. Better than giving someone a basket of cookies and chocolates. Or even liquor. You think you are being generous, but you are not really helping someone out with that type of gift. - Fitness gear - Another great gift for someone that already works out is fitness gear. The nicer stuff like LuLu Lemon is pretty expensive, so some people won’t spend that kind of money on themselves, and it makes a nice gift. Stores like REI are also a great spot to find great gifts for your fitness enthusiast friends and family.

- Memberships - If and only if someone wants to join a gym, should you give them a gift of a membership. Working out and getting in shape is something you need to want to do, and giving someone a gift for a gym membership is not only a waste, but could be insulting. This is something they need to mention before you take action. If someone has mentioned that they want to belong to a gym, then cash towards a membership, or a few personal training sessions is a great gift idea. So be a little creative, and give a gift that will do some good for someone. Nice food baskets, gym gear, and maybe memberships will bring long lasting joy to someone’s holiday, and keep them healthy all year. So take out the shopping list again, give it another look, make some healthy changes – be creative!

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Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of Fitness Profiles, a one on one, and small group personal training company, as well as Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, located at 1284 North Main St., on the Providence/Pawtucket line. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one!"

 

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