Guest Post by Fitness Expert Demi Goodman

Demi Goodman - best instructor at Dowd YMCA
(photo by Linda George)

Happy Holidays to all of you fitness fans (or at least I hope you are)!

Linda and I were talking this morning after class about some ideas on how to survive the holidays. You know how it goes. You bounce from party to party, eating and drinking things you generally don't eat at other times of the year. And to make matters worse, you don't have a lot of time to work off the excess calories. So when January hits, you are behind the eight ball trying to lose those holiday pounds. Here are some simple tips to help you stay on track, enjoy the holidays guilt free, and kick your New Year off the right way.



1.) Before heading to a party, eat a light, healthy meal before you go. That way you won't over indulge on the "yummy bad stuff."

2.) Want to know how many calories are really in egg nog, or those Christmas cookies? Keep track of your food intake with the MyFitness Pal app. Very simple to use! Click here to create your free account.

3.) Stay hydrated. Drink up to 64 ounces of liquids to help keep your energy levels up throughout the day. It will also help lessen those nasty "after" effects of alcohol.

4.) Exercise when and where you can. Try to get 20 minutes, three times a week of exercise. The ideal would be to engage in both strength training and cardiovascular exercise to help burn those extra calories. But if all you have time for is a brief walk at lunch time, then get out and do it. Something is better than nothing!

A great workout at the Y

5.) Avoid the stress of the holidays by setting some time aside just for you. Get a massage, have a manicure, enjoy a bubble bath, watch an old movie, or even take a yoga class. Whatever makes you happy and relaxed!

If you would like more information on how to get started, or update your current fitness program, you can contact me at demisfit2000@gmail.com.

Take care and Happy Holidays!
Yours in health,
Demi
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photos by Linda George