OK, so you did it, and you enjoyed it – now what are you going to do about it??? Don’t feel guilty, don’t feel like you failed, and don’t let it put you in a rut. The holidays are single days out of hundreds in the entire year. We are in festive moods, visiting with family, and around so much yummy food!
Just GET MOVING NOW. There are many ways to incorporate physical activity into your busy holiday season, for you and those around you. Invite friends and family members to join you on a refreshing walk around the neighborhood, the local park, or even the mall, instead of meeting for a drink. If you go shopping, make it count – don’t drive around looking for the closest spot, purposely park the furthest you can in the parking lot. The escalator is now off limits, even if you are carrying 3 bags in each hand…better yet do bicep curls with those bags as you walk up the stairs! Every time you set those bags down and pick them up – squat down, don’t lift with your back. When standing in line, do calf raises…still standing in line, squeeze your glutes for an isometric burn.
Why not drive to the ‘country’ and walk/hike around to pick out the tree of your liking, chop it down, and carry it to the car. To find a farm in King County go to: www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/WAxmasnw.php
When decorating, it is easy to twist the ‘wrong’ way and throw your back off. Keep your core tight – suck your navel into your spine and not only will you be protecting your back, but also toning your abdominal region. Make it a point to fully squat down each time you reach into the box to grab something. Play your favorite music and see how much more you move.
These are just a few suggestions on how to keep moving through the next couple months while still enjoying this festive time of year. It is often our exercise that gets put to the side as we get caught up in the holiday season.  Come January we make it our New Years resolution, once again, to drop a few pounds or start a new diet. This year if you keep active and practice moderation,  choose a different resolution!

Which is better for burning calories?

It’s the distance you cover, not the speed at which you reach that distance, that is important for immediate caloric burn. Walking a mile takes you longer than jogging a mile, but the calories burned will be just about the same. While you are exercising aerobically (i.e. jogging/walking) your metabolism is raised during that activity. When you stop, your metabolism goes back to normal. When you exercise anaerobically (i.e. strength train) your metabolism stays raised after your workout as it continues to recover, and repair the muscles worked. I would suggest mixing it up by including walking and jogging in your workout to create intervals which will keep your body challenged to avoid hitting a plateau.

Day Hike On Mt. Hoar

So - the strangest thing has occurred: for the first time ever I felt
relaxed and energized (yes, read and ‘whoop’ - energized) to the point that
I went back to work and turned out good stuff for the next 40 minutes (the
next boat). I am home and feeling great - a new experience for me on this
fitness/workout journey …

Go figure!

I don’t pretend to know, nor have the inclination to analyze (’gift horse’
and all that) the why or what, but thought that you should know that after 6
months in 1 place, and 1 day in another, the difference is PROFOUND.

You go, girl!

Thank you.

Most sincerely (and a client for the long term).
Ken

I was never a tea drinker…until I discovered good tea!  Everybody’s idea of good tea may be a bit different, but Japanese toasted rice tea (Genmaicha) turned me into a tea drinker.  Before that I used to think tea tasted like dirty dish water…think Lipton…oops sorry Lipton.  Now I am drinking green tea, black tea, red tea, white tea, and herbal teas - never knew there were so many!  As you may have heard, they all contain polyphenols which give tea its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants may help protect our body from free radical damage. Tea actually ranks as high as or higher than many fruits and vegetables in the ORAC score, a score which measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods. Numerous studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer properties of polyphenols. Some studies suggested that tea’s polyphenols may reduce risk of gastric, esophageal and skin cancers if one consumes 4 to 6 cups daily. My mom recently turned me on to a tea perfect for this time of year - Immunity Booster -  rosehip shells (vitamin C), orange peel (antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties), lemon peel (vitamin C and healthy circulation), echinacea root (immune system stimulant), cinnamon bark (increases vitality), and ginger root (anti-imflammatory, gastric stimulation).  I got mine at New Civilitea in Salem , MA - www.newcivilitea.com

Somehow I did not catch any of the ‘things’ going around lately.  All I can say is drink more tea!

Instead of setting a goal to “get big muscles” or “lose weight”, my trainer, Dawn Brent, worked with me to set a long term goal of “feeling better in the long run” – better endurance, more strength, better mood, and feeling comfortable in the gym. I had a vague goal of getting in better shape to do a bit of Kayaking again and signed up for 6 sessions with her.

Soon I was coming home jazzed about working out. It was a break away from my daily routine at work and great stress buster. And I started getting visible results. My partner, Mark, began noticing this and decided to join the gym as well. Mark is a tough critic and had much less experience with any kind of activity than I had. I was convinced that with Dawn’s expertise and winning professional attitude, this was his best chance for success.

Pretty soon we were both coming home excited about our progress. We both had meal plans and helped support each other in stick with them. I changed my schedule so I could car-pool with Mark and arrive at work by 6 a.m. This allows me the time during the day to work out and still get home by 5 or 5:30. And on the days when I’m resting, I can use the time to put in overtime at work without taking the work home with me.

When I started, I couldn’t do four pushups. 15 minutes on the stair machine was enough to wipe me out for several days. After all, I’m 46 and I’m not one of those guys that looks like I’ve been working out all my life. Read More »

Ingredients: (serves 6)

3 tbsp whole wheat flour

3 tbsp curry powder (Turkish curry works amazing if you can find it)

1.5 tspn ground cumin

1 tspn salt

1.5 lb. organic skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces

1.5 cups bias-sliced organic carrots (no need to peel, just wash)

1 cup coarsely chopped apple (no need to peel, just wash)

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 fresh jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup organic vegetable or chicken broth

1 14 ounce can lite coconut milk

3-4 cups cooked brown rice

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, curry, cumin, and salt. Add a few chicken pieces at a time; seal and shake to coat.

2. In a 3-4 quart crockpot, combine carrots, apple, onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and broth. Place the chicken on top of vegetable mixture. Pour the broth over chicken.

3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 6-8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-4 hours.

4. If using low-heat setting, turn the slow cooker to high heat setting. Stir in coconut milk into chicken mixture. Cook for 30 more minutes. Sprinkle with peanuts, serve over brown rice.

per serving (includes 1/2 cup cooked brown rice): 446 calories, 11 grams fat

I have been down this road before…you know the deal, the regimented diet, strict exercise plan. It is too much for me! I try and fail, I try again and fail. I even went so far as to try the diet pills. As soon as I stopped, I gained it all back. I got tired of the yo yo syndrome. It was not until I met Dawn and started to train with her that I actually, for the very first time, believed I may actually be able to do this. She did not drastically change me, no absolute strict diet, no absolute strict workout routine. Instead each time we met, she would ask me ‘How are you today”, “How have your food choices been”, “Have you been active?”. She never made me feel like I was not being ‘good’, or not following a plan. She encouraged me to make better choices, educating me on why it is better to chose certain things over others. She allowed me to empower myself to feel like I could do this, I am doing this! It has only been 5 weeks and I have already lost 13lbs. I feel better, I sleep better, I concentrate better! And it is never boring - each time we meet I have a completely different workout…not sure how she does it, but she has an instinct for exercise and makes it fun. She embodies it, so it easy to follow. Dawn is not your typical trainer, I have had others and did not succeed. Thank you, Dawn. - Jen Dawson 12/07