FFF Diva Article Research: 11 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without Ruining Your Fitness

11 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without Ruining Your Fitness

By Rod Dixon and Matt Mahowald

LA Marathon Director of Training and LA Marathon Nutrition and Supplement Consultant

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or an everyday Joe, the season from Thanksgiving through the New Year can wreak havoc on the waistline—and more. Rod Dixon, the LA Marathon Director of Training, and Matt Mahowald, the LA Marathon’s Nutrition and Supplement Consultant, offer their tips for enjoying the holidays—and holiday menus—without sabotaging your diet, exercise or training routine.

1. Never show up hungry to a holiday party or meal. Make sure you have a big breakfast and enjoy at least two good meals or snacks before the feast. This will minimize the amount of overeating. For instance, 12 almonds and an apple will help to decrease your appetite so that when you get to that meal you don’t overeat.

2. The most important drink during the holiday season is water. Water helps your body synthesize carbs. It helps with the highs and lows of blood sugar that come with desserts and sweets that aren’t normally in our diet.

3. If you are going to attend a holiday party and plan on drinking alcohol, consume a full eight to 10 oz. of water in addition to a beverage of your choice. This will minimize the amount of alcohol you drink.

4. When eating appetizers or enjoying a potluck-style meal, the best choices are vegetables, lean proteins and fruits. If you’re designated to bring a dish to a gathering, bring something healthy. You never know what’s going to be there for you, and it’s important to have good options.

5. Fill your plate modestly, and wait 30 minutes after you finish before going back for seconds. This allows your blood sugar and insulin levels to adjust. You may find that you aren’t really hungry for that second plate.

6. Look at dessert as a treat. Serve yourself a small portion, and stop there.

7. A good cardiovascular workout for two to three days after your holiday will help deplete the excess storage of carbs and fat that you picked up during the holiday.

8. If it’s possible, throw in an extra two days of 30 minute cardiovascular activity. Remember that walking is just as good as a slow jog and easier on your body.

9. Consistency is key to your exercise program. Don’t let the holidays derail you by missing too many days of your routine. Don’t try to make up what you’ve missed by overtraining—just get back on your plan.

10. Remember that it is a holiday, so let yourself enjoy it. The following day wake up and get right back on your food plan and exercise.

11. And of course, if you need a way to help keep yourself on track during the holidays, now is the time to register for the LA Marathon! Visit www.lamarathon.com for more information.

About the Los Angeles Marathon

We inspire athletes and connect communities. With thousands of volunteers, tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators along the route, the Los Angeles Marathon is one of the largest organized road races in the country. For more information, visit www.lamarathon.com.

FFF Diva Commitment to Success: Running on Motivation

Lately work and being sick has swamped me from getting my butt into Operation Boot Camp in the last two weeks. Don't get me wrong, I have gone, but NOT all 5 days each these last two weeks. I know: FAIL. But is it really? The days I have not been at boot camp I did my boot camp cardio HW (refer to Ronny's email below). Also, my sister and I decided to go to the bookstore to really get our mind set on training to walk/jog our first full marathon (LA Marathon) in March 2010.

Journal:
"Runner's World: Training Journal...A Daily Dose of Motivation, Training Tips & Running Wisdom for Every Kind of Runner---From Fitness Joggers to Competitive Racers"

Book:
"Marathoning for Mortals: A Regular Person's Guide to the Joy of Running or Walking a Half-Marathon or Marathon" by John Bingham and Coach Jenny Hadfield, M.A., C.P.T.

We have 22 weeks until our March 21, 2010 LA Marathon race. We are currently on a 20 week walker/jogger program. 26 miles to train for in 20 weeks. Will it happen? Can the FFF Divas achieve it?

Well...stay tuned to find out!

Until then...enjoy the email below from my trainer regarding MOTIVATION. And by the way...the Friday camp he is referring to...I did make it to that one!

Best,
FFF Diva Mo

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Hey guys!

Friday was an awesome workout... we had a lot of fun too!! Immediately, that brings us to our topic : FUN while working out. Never had I had so much fun at 5:45am in the morning that working out with all of you guys. I really look fwd to the mornings I do get to do it, and on those same days because of the fun and the workout that I got, I am MUCH more productive, energized, and conscience to what I'm putting in my body.

I wanted to stress the importance to everyone how important it is to everyone to have FUN while working out. Not only is Operation Boot Camp a dialed in comprehensive fitness program, but they also have the social dynamic intertwined with it all too. Its part of out 5 service values for us instructors to be able to build relationships and basically have a good time, WHILE motivating and getting you guys moving!! Sometimes, I know us instructors harp on everyone about not being "loud" enough or not being involved, and that is because it helps to create and add to the energy and the fun about what we are doing.

Try doing anything first thing in the morning like that, and either the group is going to set the stage of energy and good fun for the workout ahead, or they are going to suck out life and make everyone feel like we are all carrying a thousand pound vest on our backs... and the workout is going to DRAG by second by second. Thats a no bueno... and that's why all of us lose motivation. If you take a look at everyone you know, most people do not like working out because its not fun, its uncomfortable, it makes you sweat, you're sore the next day, you start to smell (if you're not wearing deodorant or forgot to bath yourself, and you know who you are!!) and well, it simply requires energy! Who the heck wants to do that!?

Well, if you are having a good time or looking fwd to doing something like working out, then all the sudden, those other variables become the minority.. The hour flies by, and you don't even notice that you were working that hard and the you were doing so for an hour! and THATS what I'm talking about... another reason why I want everyone to be ALIVE, and be your fun selves in the morning when we meet! It helps us all out... but don't be that one depressing debby when you come in, because it creates a downer for everyone around you. Do not complain... Just have a lil fun and work HARD- you will reap the rewards for the rest of your life;)

That being said, MAKE SURE YOU ARE DOING YOUR HOMEWORK! I want to see everyone succeed, and if we can all bring in our BOOKS and if EVERYONE has done homework assignment on Sunday, then I will have a lil something something for everyone... I'll give ya a hint, its starts with a "B" and ends with an "URPEE" ... jk. lol..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw&feature=youtube_gdata

Check out this video that my to be mom in law sent me... made me think about the fact that people would get much more exercise if there was a lil pizzaz to it or they were able to have a good time...even if its something like going up a flight of stairs. Fwd it on!

Committed to your success,

Ronny

--
Ronny Varghese
Director of Operations
Operation Boot Camp - San Jose
1-888-7-FIT NOW (734-8669)
Ronny.Varghese@operationbootcamp.com
OperationBootCamp.com

FFF Goal Accomplished: 2009 Rock n' Roll San Jose 1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles)

The 13.1 mile course in downtown San Jose.

This is the final picture of me crossing the finish line. I finished my 1st 1/2 marathon!

My sister Leilani and I right after the race with our race medals!

The San Jose 1/2 marathon was my first race, while this was my sister's second 1/2 marathon.

My sister stuck with me throughout the whole race, even though she could have finished the race for a faster time. This is a photo of us at Mile 1, however subtract 10 minutes from the time shown, because we were in Corral #13.

I had been training for this 1/2 marathon since May 2009. In May 2009 I ran my first 5K race (Marin Human Race), in August 2009 I ran my second 5K race (SF Plate to Plate), and in September 2009 I ran my third 5K race (Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Race). When I finished my race I felt so accomplished that I made an executive decision: to celebrate my 25th birthday in March 2010 I will run my first FULL marathon (26.2 miles) in Los Angeles (LA Marathon).

FFF Diva Goal: Running the LA Marathon on March 21, 2010

To celebrate my 25th birthday I have decided to run the Los Angeles Marathon (26.2 miles) on March 21, 2010 (which is my ACTUAL birthday). The above video is the actual course I will be running with my sister Leilani and friend Chad. This Sunday I will be running my first 1/2 marathon in downtown San Jose (San Jose Rock n' Roll). This race will be helpful to see what training for a full marathon will look like. Wish me luck!