Since I am only about a month out from ranting about why New Year's resolutions suck, I thought I would share some glorious holiday tips with you.  For most of us, we tend to let loose a little around the holidays with our drinking and over indulging with the finer things in life.  What we tend to forget is that this can lead to the extra ten pounds of chub layering around our midsections that resembles uncooked donut batter.  I am a fairly realistic person when it comes to what people will do to their bodies during the holiday season or vacations and I hope that some of these tips will help you NOT have to make resolutions come January.

                Before I go into my tips, I think it is important to understand the 3500 calorie guideline.  Sure, it is not guaranteed accurate, but what it does do is make you accountable for your actions and think twice before dipping into your tenth rum and egg nog.  I would also like to note that I like the word 'nog' and it may appear quite a bit throughout this article.  The 3500 calorie rule is a guide that tells us 3500 calories consumed or burned equates to one pound gained or lost.  If you workout, you should know how hard it is to burn 3500 calories! 

1. USE THE 3500 CALORIE RULE-Remember calories burned and consumed are cumulative. Pay attention to labels so that you can make a healthier choice, even if it is a small one.

2. PLAN AHEAD-Try to make as many of your own meals as possible. Avoid eating out whenever possible with the thought process that we are more likely to overdo it if we are not making the meal.

3. BE REALISTIC-We are going to eat out and at some point(s) over indulge. Make the healthiest choices possible even when doing so. Something as simple as cutting your egg NOG with skim milk can cut calories substantially. A cup of egg NOG can have up to 350 calories, where a cup of skim milk has less than 90. Use soda instead of pop or juice in your cocktails, drink light beer or diet pop instead of the regular varieties etc.

4. USE JOE'S FIST RULE-Ok, I have to admit this is hokey and I just made it up but it ties into rule number one. When you are about help yourself to your meals, try to take the equivalent of the size of your fist off the plate. This doesn't mean you take a fist of broccoli out, but you take a little of each of the things that are less healthy for you off. Remember calories are cumulative!

5. EAT AS MANY VEGGIES AS YOU CAN-This doesn't mean scalloped potatoes or anything covered in cheese. It means load up on salads or steamed/boiled/Raw veggies. This will give you the satisfaction of feeling full while consuming healthier choices at the same time. If you hate veggies, throw a small amount of your favourite dressing on them (I know most dressings are high calorie, but 1 teaspoon goes a long way and won't contribute as much to the donut batter gut) if it helps make them more appeasing to eat.

6. DON'T BAKE HOLIDAY GOODIES JUST FOR THE SAKE OF BAKING HOLIDAY GOODIES! If you are into making ginger bread cookies or some sort of chocolaty bark, you are probably into eating them. I am not saying you can't eat these things, but if you don't have the will power to put them down after just one, maybe you should try crafting instead of baking. I would also like to note I am huge into crafting.

7. DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WANT-This doesn't mean eat what you want or go crazy at the Uncle Willy's buffet. It means if you really love a Christmas ham, or figgy pudding (not sure what that is) have only a small portion of it. This is why traditional diets don't work. If you are told never to eat certain foods, you are more likely to binge in a moment of weakness. Sure, it is better not to eat the higher calorie/less healthy choice, but if you are going to eat it you are better off using the portion control method (this includes minimizing the frequency of eating these types of food).

8. TRY TO SURROUND YOURSELF AROUND LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS-If the people you are sharing the holidays with eat and drink with reckless abandon, one can only assume you are more likely to do the same. If you have limited friends or family, try to reduce the frequency you may go out with them or even consider being the designated driver. As much fun as it is being the designated driver for some, it takes the temptation of drinking unwanted calories out of the equation. By no means am I suggesting you avoid family and friends over the holidays, just be cautious of those little white wine Friday afternoons a little more than normal.

9. WALK AND EXERCISE MORE-If you think doing an extra 20 minutes in the gym is going to make up for the night out partying, I have bad news for you. YOU HAVE MISSED THE BOAT! Try to get into the gym one more time a week, if you are busy, get out and walk as much as you can. This will most likely not offset the extra calories you will be consuming, but it will help keep you in a routine that too many of us put aside over the holidays.

10. LOCK YOURSELF IN A ROOM WITH CHOMPER AND TRY TO BEFREIND HIM. Although my wiener dog is pleasant to me and a select few, he is nervous around new people. The stress of him trying to bite you and chase after you is good for burning close to 500 calories an hour. None of number ten is true except Chomper actually might try to bite you.

              Too be honest, number 10 is a joke (kind of), but I figured since we are Level 10 Fitness, I should include ten tips.  There are hundreds of tips out there, and they all have some validity.  The idea is to basically be accountable for everything you put in your body over the next few weeks.  Read labels, be cautious of calories in and out while not being a Debbie Downer to all those around you.  None of these steps require you to lock yourself in your house, just pay a little closer attention than usual to what you consume.   

              From the staff at Level 10 Fitness, we want to wish you a glorious and safe holiday season!!!

Yours in Nog,

Joe McCullum