Home for the Holidays

Greetings friends!

So the past two weeks I gave you info on how to work out and eat during this crazy exciting time of year! I will now leave you with those tools to keep your fitness game strong and your meals on point for the next two weeks until I return from holiday cheer and family fun!
Have a very happy and safe holiday and New Year.
CHEERS! 

Dont let the holidays ruin your healthy eating

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season has officially begun and it is time for gatherings, parties, and hang outs of all sorts!  What comes along with the holidays and parties is LOTS of yummy food; appetizers, meals, desserts, and drinks galore.  Although all of this is great, it is not the best for your healthy eating habits or your waistline.  Don't let the anxiety of overeating put a damper on your holiday spirit.  There are many ways to enjoy everything while keeping it under control. 

HERE IS HOW...

1. Contribute to the party- bring your own healthy dish so you know there is something you can indulge in.
2. Eat the healthiest things first- fill up on lighter fares such as vegetable appetizers and soups. By doing this, you may be too full to load up on heavy main courses.
3. Don't linger around the food- when you are chatting with guests, if you stand within arms length of foods, you are more likely to munch while you talk.
4. Eat before you go- if you have time and you know where you are going will have way too many unhealthy options, have a snack before, fill up on something healthy!
5. Manage your portion size- when filling up your plate, use a small appetizer size plate that way you wont be able to fit more than a sample of each dish. 
6. Wear tight clothes- if you are wearing a fancy new outfit that fits just right, you are not going to feel comfortable stuffing your face with food. 
7. Keep one hand busy- if you hold a drink or purse in one hand, it will be less likely that you are constantly reaching for food. 
8. Don't beat yourself up- if you do indulge a little too much... relax! It is not the end of the world, step up your exercise, be very conscious in the next few weeks, and you are good to go!

ENJOY the Holidays and spread around some cheer!

How to stay fit through the Holidays

December is finally here, all of the holiday lights and cheer are starting to make more sense and we all have a full month of family, friends, parties, and lots of eating and drinking.  It is easy to let this time of year throw you off your fitness track.  We all get really busy, traveling near and far, and it is very hard to keep a schedule.
There are simple ways to prevent this from happening and here is how!

CHECK OUT LOCAL DEALS
Wherever you are going there is bound to be some sort of gym or fitness studio.  Before you hit the road, check out what your destination has to offer.  Most places will offer free first time deals or some sort of discounted rate.  Find out what is around before you go so you can schedule a workout into your trip.

EASY ONLINE VIDEOS
Many fitness trainers and even studios offer classes online.  You can find live streams, recorded workouts and even sites that let you custom build a routine.  My very best friend Elise Joan, has an amazing website where you can customize a work out around what you want to work on and also how much time you have!  Check her out at http://elisejoanfitness.com/ (you even get a free trial)

RESEARCH EASY TO FOLLOW WORK OUTS
With the wonderful world of fitness combining with the internet, it is very easy to look up work outs that have easy to follow instructions.  Most of these work outs don't even require any equipment!  I have made an easy and effective routine that you can take anywhere. 

PLANK WITH KNEE TO ELBOW

The exercise targets the core, specifically the obliques, to build strength and increase stability.

Begin in the top of a pushup position with hands directly beneath your shoulders.

Tighten your abs and bring one knee to the outside of the same arm, pausing for a moment before straightening the leg back behind you. Keep the leg elevated and repeat the movement.

Make sure you squeeze your abs as you bring your knee forward.

10 ON EACH SIDE

STANDING HIGH KNEES

Great cardio to get the heart rate pumping!

Works your quads, glutes, abs, hamstrings, and hip flexors.

1.    Stand straight with the feet hip width apart, looking straight ahead and arms hanging down by your side

2.    Jump from one foot to the other at the same time lifting your knees as high as possible, hip height is advisable

3.    The arms should be following the motion

4.    Touch the ground with the balls of your feet

DO FOR ONE MINUTE

PLANK JUMP

Increase strength in your arms, shoulders, and back.

Hold a plank position with shoulders stacked over wrists.  Body stays flat with shoulders in line with hips.  Jump both feet out to the side and back in at the same time.

DO 20 JUMPS

SQUAT HOLD BURPEE

awesome leg workout, they elevate the heart rate for a high caloric burn, & they force you to use your core in order to get up & down as quick as necessary.

Come into a squat position and hold for 5 seconds.  Then drop to the ground into a push up position & QUICKLY pop back up to that squat hold w/out letting your body come above a low squat position.

DO FOR 60 SECONDS

TOE TOUCH CRUNCHES

Lie down on the floor, back to the ground. 

Lift your legs straight up the sky with only a slight bend in your knees.

keeping your lower back pressed against the floor, slowly lift your torso and use your hands to try and touch your toes

keep shoulders lifted from the ground.

DO 50 TOUCHES