The Christmas Workout – Give Your Diet the Month Off
It’s the Holiday Season. The air is filled with the aromatic smells of the fresh pine needles and burning fireplaces. We are treated to the festive sights and sounds of the season: the brilliant Christmas lights, the holiday songs playing on the P.A. system in the supermarket, the cheerful decorations even in not so cheerful places, like the DMV.
There are also some rather unpleasant sights and sounds, like increased traffic, no available parking spaces, and whining spoiled brats in the toy stores. But one of the most distressing of the Holiday Season is the sight of our own expanding waistline. You look down at your belt and realize you have to back off one notch, at least if you’re considering exhaling at all that day.
The Health Clubs do some of their best business right after the Holiday Season as guilt- filled resolution makers repent in droves: “Forgive me, Personal Trainer, for I have sinned. It’s been two months since my last workout.” The trainer would reply, “Give me ten Hail Marys, twenty push-ups, and fifty crunches. Now go, and sin no more.”
This is an annual cycle we seem to find ourselves in. When I say we, I mean regular working folk, non-professional athletes, with at least some responsibilities. And while I have written a few health and fitness articles for Agenda Bride , I am not your typical fitness guru. I’m right there in the fight with you. Consequently, I have a perspective that I find lacking in many of the fitness-related articles I read in many magazines. I tailor my articles to people that have an open mind, and some sense of balance. The tips I give can be followed for a lifetime, not just for a six-week crash diet.
Most of the fitness articles I read are written by certified personal trainers with backgrounds in nutrition. That’s admirable because it’s hard to take health tips from a 300-pound smoker with a chili dog in one hand and a beer in the other. But trying to live like a 22-year-old personal trainer, unless you are one, is pretty unrealistic as well. I don’t live in lycra. And working out takes time, not just the activity and travel, but the warm up, cool down, and clean up. For me, time is my most precious commodity.
For them, health and fitness is quite literally their life. They are up on all the latest information because, make no mistake, health and fitness is a science. New studies come out daily stating which vitamins and nutrients are best for muscle building, weight loss, and energy production. They plan their daily routine around their exercise requirements, and food intake. If you have a heavy school load, a full-time job, or a family, fitness can be a high priority, but maybe not your top priority all the time. That’s the difference.
Besides, these are the Holidays. Some of the best food sensations of the year are to be enjoyed during this time. If you try to follow some super strict program now, you’ll deprive yourself of some of what makes this season so eagerly anticipated, and so much fun. I know that sounds very unguru-like. But I’m not encouraging gluttony either. I’m simply saying enjoy the foods of the season in moderation. And maintain or increase your level of physical activity to at least maintain your fitness levels during these times. When January rolls around, you’ll have some good habits established, and you can get more specific with your diet without all the Holiday Season distractions.
If you remember this season’s Dancing with the Stars television show, the winner was former Dallas Cowboy running back Emmitt Smith. He is 5′ 9″ and about 210. Picture him with smaller arms, and a smaller bank account, and that’s me. I train in Mixed Martial Arts twice a week and try to get to the gym another three times a week. I will sometimes play basketball at the park with twenty-somethings, and hold my own. And I used to race bicycles, so it’s not uncommon for me to hop on the road bike and put in 30 to 40 miles on a Sunday morning.
I’m highly competitive now, which makes it impossible to eat a planned meal every three hours, as studies have shown is optimal for speeding up one’s metabolism. That’s crucial for weight loss, and fat burning, so I’m at a disadvantage there. I have a wife and kid that command a certain amount of my spare time, especially during my son’s various sports seasons. And there are days, particularly high stress days, when calculating calories is just another stressor I’d prefer to ignore. Besides, I really love food.
Am I in good shape? Yes, especially for my age group. My health is important to me. Am I in the best possible shape? Nope. I’m not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to attain such a goal. I’d have to be a lot more selfish. Could I afford to lose a few pounds? Yes–ten to be exact. And I will do it the same way I suggest in my articles. Not with some complicated 40-30-30 plan, not with some fad diet like the South Beach, the North Shore, Eastern Seaboard, or whatever. I’m not going to call Roto-Rooter for my colon, either. I’ll simply chart my caloric intake, maintain balanced nutrition, cut down on empty calories (sweets, and snack foods), and get some discipline into my workouts.
My mantra is burn more calories than you take in. It is really an oversimplification of a plan that involves aerobic activity in the morning before eating (enhanced metabolism), eating five to six small meals a day, with fruits and vegetables in most of them. A low calorie protein shake would qualify as a meal. Staying hydrated by drinking around 64 ounces of water during the day. And generally being more active in my everyday life, like taking the stairs every once in a while. Or maybe it’s walking to the grocery store instead of driving. It can be as simple as playing catch with my son, or taking the dog out for some playtime.
If for some reason it is necessary for you to lose weight right now, may the force be with you. It won’t be easy with all this temptation around you. Activity and hydration are going to be your keys to success. And try to steer clear of all the desserts. If you have a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream, be prepared to extend your aerobic workout an extra 30 minutes to compensate. If you are strength training, increase your intensity because muscle burns more calories than fat at rest. Adding muscle to your physique doesn’t just make you look better; it supports your skeletal structure and makes you a more efficient fat burner.
But it’s the Holiday Season, and I’m not going to be deprived of all that good Holiday Season food. I wouldn’t ask myself to lose weight during this time. I thoroughly enjoy these culinary delights that come once a year. I will try not to overindulge. And I’ll maintain a high level of physical activity, and stay hydrated. Consequently, I won’t gain extra weight. There will be no gym confessional for me come January. How about you?
Written by Kevin Foster
