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Dear georgette, For NutriFitness subscribers Only! News at NutriFitness: Fitness BOOTCAMPS start Jan 9 . Pre- registrater now at the NutriFitness Studio or call us for details: 570-288-2409. The Basic Fitness/Nutrition BootCamps are filling up fast so reserve your spot now. Our Fitness Boxing Bootcamps Will resume in Jan. also. Pre-register now! NutriFitness New subscriber E-Book "ABS to Die For!-How to get Awesome ABS at any Age" I made it a lot easier for everyone to get it f.r.e.e just go here to download instantly. And as always, don't forget about the best selling E- Book "Fit Over 40..Role Models for Excellence at ANY Age"! Where you can see my profile! This would make a great Christmas gift. To order go : http://www.fitover40.com We have also updated the NutriFitness web site with Features of the Month- FRE.E.Articles, Exercises and Workout Programs This will be changed monthly so check back for updates. Also check out the Nutrifitness Mall 
 By: Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS I'd like to share with you 10 ways that you can follow your diet and stay in great shape over the holidays without turning into a "miserable Scrooge." If you follow this advice, then you'll be one of the proud few with a New Year's resolution to be the best you've ever been in the new year, instead of one of the guilt-ridden many who must resolve to reclaim what they lost over the past year. 1. Expect to stay on your program over the holidays "Fail to plan and you plan to fail"is a time worn and cliched statement, but it's still some of the best success advice you will ever hear. Not only do most people fail to plan, they consciously plan to fail over the holidays. Most people expect to "blow" their diet and skip workouts over the holidays. They expect to eat more, to exercise less and to gain weight. As a result, they don't even make the effort. Instead of taking control, they resign themselves to maintenance at best, or back-sliding at worst. This negative expectancy leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy. By the first week of January, they're in the worst shape they've been in for a year and they frantically make New Year's resolutions to shed the excess fat they've gained. You can avoid this trap by planning to succeed. Set up a positive expectation. Resolve now that you will not tolerate slipping backwards. Keep your standards up and don't settle! Not only can you plan to "stay in shape" over the holidays, you can plan to improve! All you have to do is make the decision and expect success. 2. Plan all your workouts in advance You know your schedule is going to get hectic over the holidays. You'll be cooking, shopping, wrapping gifts, sending cards, going to parties, traveling, visiting family, and so on. To stay on your training and nutrition regimen is definitely going to take some sound time management skills. Plan your schedule in advance. Anticipate what's coming up. Write it down. Put it on your calendar. By doing so, you won't be caught unprepared. Use a schedule book or monthly calendar and "make appointments" for ALL your workouts for the entire holiday season. Then, post a copy where you will be forced to look at it every day. This is a powerful exercise that will keep you focused and force you to think about and prepare for each upcoming workout. If you try to "wing it" and squeeze in your workouts and meals whenever you have time left over, you'll find that there never is any time left over! Somehow your daily activities always seem to "expand" to fill the hours in every day. So schedule your workouts and meal times in your calendar just like you would any other appointment or event. Once you've done that, stick to your schedule religiously. 3. Set some compelling training and fitness goals over the holiday period Don't wait until January 1st to set your goals just because you think it will be harder to achieve them over the holidays. On the contrary, studies on personal achievement have shown that you'll usually reach 80% of the goals you put onto paper. The problem is that few people set any goals at all, and fewer still set them during the holidays. Why wait? Why not do it now? Set some big goals that you can start working on during the holidays: Set a goal to lose the 25 lbs you've always wanted to lose NOW Set the goal to gain 10 lbs of solid muscle NOW Been contemplating a competition in bodybuilding, fitness or the new ladies figure division? Pick an early spring show and GO FOR IT - START TRAINING NOW! Goal setting should not be a once a year affair, it should be a continuous process. You should always have your goals in writing and your list should be regularly updated and rewritten. If you only set goals once a year, you're not going to accomplish much in your life. 4. Give yourself permission to have "cheat days" - and schedule them in A planned "cheat day" helps you to stay on your program better in the long run. If you're too strict all the time, you're setting yourself up for cravings and bingeing. One or two cheat meals per week will have very little effect on your physique. If you've been on a strict, low carb and/or low calorie regimen, a cheat meal might actually be good for you! It will boost your metabolic rate and give your body the signal that you're not starving and that it's ok to keep burning a lot of calories. Over the holidays, schedule your dinners and parties so they fall on your cheat day. Then, on the other days of the week, be steadfast! Just the fact that you know you have a "cheat day" coming up will relieve the pressure of staying on a strict diet for a long time. Also, when you do have your cheat meal, ENJOY IT! If you're going to eat it and feel guilty, then don't have it at all. If you've stayed with the program all week long, then when cheat day rolls around, you deserve it! 5. If you fall off the wagon, get right back on it So you had about a dozen too many of those Christmas cookies did you? Don't worry; because you have cheat days built into your plan, you shouldn't let guilt immobilize you. Even if you fall completely off the wagon, don't beat yourself up. All you have to do is get right back on your program without missing another beat. Too many people mess up once and then think their entire diet is ruined. They feel as if everything they've done prior to that day was wasted and there's no sense going on. Or even worse, they rationalize to themselves, "Well, I already cheated, so it doesn't matter now, I might as well keep pigging out." That's nonsense. If you threw in the towel every time you didn't score 100% on your diet, most people would never get through more than a few days on any structured program. Just because you mess up once doesn't mean you should quit! You're only human. Don't let one small slip keep you derailed. Firmly plant your wheels back on the tracks and start rolling again. 6. Maintain your consistent eating schedule If there's one thing that all people who successfully get lean and stay lean have in common, it's consistency. Without it, you never get any momentum going. It's like taking two steps forward, only to take three steps back. Many people allow the busy Holidays to throw them off their regular eating schedule. They completely veer off their usual five or six small meals per day, or they start eating foods they would normally never eat (because "it's there"). You have to keep your metabolic engine revving all year round. Once you have it going, it's fairly easy to keep it going. But once you lose it, it's very difficult to get it going again because you must overcome inertia all over again. (An object at rest tends to stay at rest!) On the major holidays, when there's a big dinner scheduled, many people think that skipping their morning and afternoon meals to "save room" for the big one later is a good idea. It's not. This is a sure- fire way to invite a binge that could set your back for days. Don't lose your consistency or your momentum. Continue with your pattern of eating small, frequent meals all year round. All you have to do is count your holiday dinners as one of your regular meals and keep them small. 7. Control your portion sizes. You can have your cake and eat it too, you just can't eat the whole thing! One of the most important rules to remember this holiday season is the law of energy balance, which states: To lose body fat, you must consume fewer calories than you burn up each day. There are two corollaries to the law of energy balance: 1. Too much of anything gets stored as fat - even healthy food. 2. Small amounts of anything - even junk food - will probably NOT get stored as fat. There's no reason to deprive yourself of things you enjoy. Just make sure you don't overindulge. As long as you enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, and you keep working out, it probably won't end up around your waistline. 8. Don't buy into the low standards and expectations of others Keep your standards high, but don't expect other peoples standards to be as high as yours. Remember that most people have already planned in advance to fail at fitness over the holidays. You've decided to stay strong (haven't you?) Don't let their negative influence drag you down. When you've reached your pre-ordained drink limit, say "When" and switch to water or a non alcoholic, non caloric beverage. When they offer you seconds on dessert, politely say, "No thank you, it was absolutely delicious, but I'm full, I can't eat another bite." And when the wee hours of the morning start to roll around, and your friends are egging you on to keep partying, politely tell them you need your sleep. Tomorrow is a work out day. If they're really your friends, they'll understand. 9. Make the best choices possible in every situation. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there is usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery and other healthy snacks too? No matter where you are, you always have choices. Sometimes you have to choose between bad and worse. Other times you can choose between good and better. But always make the best choice possible based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of something bad rather than a huge portion, thereby obeying the law of calorie balance. Chances are good that there's probably something healthy on the menu at every holiday gathering. As you know, lean proteins and fibrous carbs are a great for getting lean, so fill up on the turkey breast, try to get a vegetable in there, and go easy on the desserts. 10. If you drink, enjoy alcohol in moderation If you enjoy having a few drinks on special occasions, then go ahead and have a drink or two. But if you're serious about your fitness goals, you must drink infrequently and in moderation. Alcohol almost totally inhibits your body's ability to metabolize body fat. When there's alcohol in your bloodstream, you're not in fat burning mode. I've never met anyone in my life that was truly serious about fitness or bodybuilding who was a heavy drinker. Alcohol and muscles just don't mix. The impact goes beyond added body fat; your energy levels and workouts can be ruined for days after a night of heavy drinking. A glass of wine actually has some health benefits. But there's NEVER any never reason or excuse for binge drinking or getting drunk. So go ahead and toast to the New Year, but know when to say when. Conclusion You might be one of the millions of people who want and need to lose weight, and you've decided that you're going to do it. However, you may also be thinking that the holiday season is the worst time, and that you will start after New Years. The truth is, that is nothing but an excuse to keep procrastinating. There's no reason to let your exercise and nutrition program spoil your holidays, but there's also no reason to let your holidays spoil your exercise and nutrition program either! Put these 10 holiday tips into practice and you can start losing fat , not next year. To learn even more about how to eat and work out to burn off body fat naturally and easily, visit the Burn The Fat home page at www.burnthefat.com
How to Keep Yourself From Starting The New Year As Round As Santa The Average American gains 7 - 12 pounds between Halloween and New Years and studies show that most will abandon their fitness programs. Yes, I know, I've already said this but it bears repeating. Between the parties, high fat foods, alcohol and hectic schedules who has the time (or the inclination for that matter) to worry about exercise, never mind healthy eating? Most people are busy putting off their healthy eating and exercise programs "until the 1st of the year." That is, until they try to get into their clothes or get a good look in the department store mirror. There is still time to formulate a plan that will have you closer to the fitness goals on the first of the year instead of looking at an extra 7-12 pounds of ugly fat. These easy tips will help you get through the holidays with a minimum of stress and weight gain. 1.Don't try to "diet" during the holidays- Set a goal of trying to maintain your present weight. This way, you have a realistic goal. Since , as I have previously mentioned, the Average American gains 7-12 pounds, you will still be ahead of the game. You can allow yourself to indulge here and there, but you won't go over the edge 2.Pay attention to how quickly you eat and exactly what you eat and drink- Chew your food slowly and focus on your companions and the social aspects of each event 3.Remember that alcohol is packed with calories - Choose light beer and wine over mixed drinks." A holiday-sized mixed drink can have as many a 300- 500 calories or more. 4.Offer to bring a favorite low-calorie dish to holiday parties, so you know there will be at least one "safe" item 5.Make the effort to continue a regular exercise program – Find a buddy or consult with a professional to help you keep yourself on track. Aim for 2 – 3 30 minutes sessions per week (remember - a little bit is better than none) 6.Never go to a party or event on an empty stomach- Before going out, snack on protein, like chicken or cottage cheese. Protein satisfies and will help you eat less 7.Keep an eye on your portion sizes - In the heat of celebration, portion sizes can be quite excessive 8.Don't Skip Meals – Many people think that if they skip breakfast and lunch, that they can "save" enough calories for later. This almost always leads to binging 9.Don't let a hectic holiday schedule force you to eat fast food - Prepare and freeze several quick, healthy meals. That way, you have an option other than high-fat, fast-food meals. 10.Remember what the Holidays are about – Focus on friends and family. Although most holiday events focus around food, the point is to enjoy the company of your friends and family not to see how much dessert you can eat before you actually pop the buttons on your pants (or dress) 11.Avoid Tasting While Cooking – You will be appalled at how quickly the calories add up – Get a family member to taste the food for you For more information on personal training and diet plans go to Nutrifitness
The real culprit in holiday weight gain Metabolic Syndrome X Researchers report that 40 million US adults suffer with "Metabolic Syndrome X." This is the worst nightmare for someone overweight or obese, especially during the holiday season, (A major health hazard: the metabolic syndrome, 2003, Isomaa). While the Holiday 7 are not as bad as reported for most people, small gains in bodyfat over time can contribute to the condition "Metabolic Syndrome." Metabolic Syndrome has to do with how the body acts as it puts on extra bodyfat. Starvation diets may temporarily pull off a few pounds after the holidays; but these diets without exercise can make matters worse. Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome are extra bodyfat around the waist, higher cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that someone with a lot of bodyfat can eat bread for example, and their body processes it like pecan pie. This is why someone lean and in shape can eat some traditional holiday meals without too much concern, and someone overweight will gain 5 pounds during the holidays. The Best part there may be a free cure for Metabolic Syndrome. The cure for Metabolic Syndrome is not a fad starvation diet, but rather a consistent diet of moderation and a real commitment to exercise regularly. Extra bodyfat is at the center of this disease, and this means that you should add exercise to build and tone muscle. Adding muscle will raise your resting metabolic rate so the muscle, in essence, eats away the bodyfat for you while you're resting. Men, women, teenagers, and even children need to exercise to add and tone muscle. Walking and increasing activity levels will not do what you need to get accomplished without adding some type of strength training to your fitness plan. Personally, I'm partial to weight training at least three times a week along with an anaerobic exercise (sprinting types of exercise) program to make the body produce exercise-induced growth hormone, (Impact of acute exercise intensity on pulsatile growth hormone release in men, 1999, Pritzlaff). Growth hormone released from exercise will facilitate the bodyfat burning and muscle building and toning process. Make the commitment today to add weight training to your fitness plan and enjoy meals this holiday season in moderation, of course. For NutriFitness Online Personal Training and Diet Plans go to Nutrifitness website. Holiday SpecialGet A Home workout program! See Below.
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