9 Fitness Tips for Surviving the Holidays in Santa Barbara

In General, Primal Lifestyle by Mikki ReillyLeave a Comment

Wake Up Early and get your training in before family activities begin.  If you’ve traveled out of town, find a space where you can do some bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, planks and burpees. Or go outside and run sprint intervals – alternating bursts of fast-paced running with rest periods. Just 30 minutes of high intensity exercise will elevate your metabolism and keep you burning calories long after the workout is over.

Eat a Solid Breakfast of nourishing high-quality protein and healthy fats to start the day. This could be eggs made whichever way you like with bacon, or other meat or fish. Omelets, made with leftovers from holiday meals, are also ideal!

Get Plenty of Rest. When you sleep better, your levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, are lower, so you tend to be less stressed. If you’re less stressed you’ll make better food choices.

Avoid (or reduce) Alcohol Consumption.  Alcohol is high in calories and it increases your appetite. Try sparkling mineral water or Kombucha Tea instead. Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented beverage made from tea that is both refreshing and healthful.

Foam Roll and Stretch.  If you travel, bring along “the Grid” foam roller (which fits nicely into carry-on luggage) and take a little time to relax your muscles, and your mind, by stretching and foam rolling. Foam rolling removes restrictions, increases blood flow and improves the overall quality of the tissue.

Drink Plenty Of Water: Unknowingly, we tend to overeat when we are dehydrated and thirsty. So make sure that you drink plenty of water. Males require about 3 liters (equal to about 101 oz.) per day and women require about 2 liters (equal to about 68 oz.).

Eat a Healthy Snack before going to a big holiday party. A snack will take the edge off of your hunger and curb your appetite so that you don’t make bad food choices.  Good snacks include foods that are high in protein and healthy fats because they keep you satisfied longer.

Go for a Brisk Walk before eating a big holiday meal. Walking before eating decreases the amount of sugar and fats that accumulate in the blood after eating. Surprisingly, a recent study found that people who walked prior to eating burned more fat than those who walked after eating.

Get Back on Track and resolve to get into the best shape of your life in the New Year! If you live in Santa Barbara, sign up for the 30-Day Paleo Transformation at Fitness Transform Studio which starts Jan 1, 2014.

Published in the Santa Barbara Skinny,

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