November 15, 2015

I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend. I understand that this time of year is hectic and packed with “to do’s” and commitments, but this is not the time to skimp on workouts, healthy eating, sleep, or mindful breathing. You need to keep up your healthy lifestyle habits now more than ever! You want to feel as good as you can over the next 8 weeks so that you can enjoy this time to its fullest! Plus, we all know that when we get too caught up in our peppermint lattes, cookie parties, and nightly cocktails, we lose sight of the fact that our bodies may be paying the price.

That does not mean you cannot enjoy the season. Just try to stick with your regular healthy habits as much as possible. If you need some guidelines on what those might look like, here you go:

1. Keep your workouts scheduled on your calendar and do not let them go by the wayside. Your January self with thank you! If you do need to schedule something in your regular workout slot, make time somewhere else.
2. Stay hydrated. No, Peppermint lattes do not count! Stick with water and green tea as much as you can. Try to limit your alcohol during the week – save it for the weekend only.
3. Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep. This is not the time to decide that 5 hours of sleep a night is all you need. If so, you will be entering the holiday season masked as a zombie, not to mention the impact on your health.
4. Stick with lean protein and vegetables as much as you can. Sure, enjoy the scrumptious holiday food, but if you fill your Thanksgiving plate with turkey, salad, and roasted winter vegetables first then make a very small place for the not so healthy stuff (stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, etc.)
5. Take time to breathe every day. When you feel the stress rising up from your gut and into your chest, start slowly and deeply breathing – inhale through your nose filling your belly like a balloon, hold for 5-7 seconds, then let the air out by exhaling through your mouth slowly for 8 seconds. If your mind is wandering, just focus on the breath only and what is happening in your body (i.e., my ribs and are expanding).

If these do not work for you, make a list of your own and keep them in a space that you  will be reminded.

We have a fun filled week of classes! Don’t forget to sign up online!!

I had so much fun coaching Hillview X-Country that I will be back in January for another 8 week session. If your child is interested in keep up their conditioning or working on improving their conditioning, they might want to check out my class! Here are the details:

http://stellafit.com/youth-programs/

If your child does not go to Hillview but would like to join, let me know.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Cheers!

Stella