Stew Smith
is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a
former Navy SEAL, and author of several fitness
and self defense books such as The Complete
Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, and Maximum
Fitness. As a military fitness trainer,
Stew has trained hundreds of students for
Navy SEAL, Special Forces, Air Force PJ, Ranger
Training, and other physical law enforcement
professions. His eBooks at Military.com can
help you achieve your fitness goals, whether
you're a beginner or an expert. For more info
on his books, visit the Military.com eBook
Fitness Store.
Don't let the Holiday Season get a hold of you! Between the weeks of Thanksgiving and New Years is when it's hardest to stick to a normal diet and fitness routine. On average, most people can gain five or more pounds during this time due to large dinners, parties, long trips, and time spent shopping. The trick is to not get out of the habit -- make a conscious effort to either stick to your plan or start a plan now if you haven't been active or concerned about your food intake in a long time.
Here are a few eating tips and some ideas on quick exercise routines to try when time is limited:
Lay off the fast food. Before you go on a trip or a long day of shopping, try to eat before you leave and pack a lunch. Foods high in protein mixed with a natural carbohydrates are great energy meals. Try a lean turkey or chicken sandwich with vegetables like lettuce and tomato. Watch out for the mayo - too many calories and fat grams. Try mustard instead. Fruits are great quick snacks too. Try apples, oranges, and bananas for natural sources of energy. Here are some healthy eating ideas.
Wake up and burn some calories. As busy days pile up with more and more obligations, the scheduled 5:00pm workout can easily get bumped! Make thirty minutes of exercise fit into your mornings and do some of the workouts mentioned below or view several in the Military.com Article Archive.
Try biking, walking, or running for 30 minutes
Go to your gym for a quick circuit routine
Try calisthenics like jumping jacks/pushups/crunch routine and jumping jacks/squats/lunges/crunches
Don't wait until New Years. Why wait? When you can, you should try to eat at regularly scheduled times during the day. Healthy snacks and meals will carry you through your stressful days much better than skipping meals or binge eating. You will find that if you keep a good schedule, you will not gain as much weight and may even lose weight over the Holidays! Try an eating schedule of the following recommended times:
i. 0630 - breakfast
ii. 0930 - morning snack
iii. 1230 - lunch
iv. 1530 - afternoon snack
v. 1830 - dinner
If your days are longer than 15-18 hours you should try another light snack at 2100 of foods like yogurt, grapes, milk. Other snacks during the day can be salads, fruits, lean meats, small sandwiches, boiled eggs and others.
Walk more. When safety is not an issue, try to walk further than normal when going to shopping centers. Burning a few more calories by walking is one of the easiest ways to walk off that Thanksgiving Turkey dinner. Just twenty minutes of brisk walking can burn over 100 calories.
Keep working the abdominal region. Not with food but with exercises like crunches, situps, and lower back stretches. Check out the articles on Washboard Abs and Lose those Love Handles for ideas. When you do these exercises for just 5-10 minutes daily, it is easier to remember to watch your food intake and stop yourself from gorging.
Overall, it is important to keep up the habit of moving more and eating less, but during the Holidays it is tougher to do. These tips can help you prevent unneeded weight gain and still be able to thoroughly enjoy your holiday season. Have a Happy Holiday Season!
Feel free to email anytime at stew@stewsmith.com if you have any fitness questions. I am glad to help.
