Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Holiday Tip #2

It's Day 2 of Holiday Tips! Whoo!

FITNESS TIP:

It can be tough to workout during the holidays because we have less time for it. There are the parties, the events, the shopping, the family time, etc. As a trainer, I notice that my clients cancel more frequently around this time of year. Then when the new year rolls around, those clients struggle to get back to the shape they were in before the holidays hit; it can be frustrating for them.
To ensure that you don't feel that frustration yoursel
f, fight your busier schedule by doing supersets at the gym. A superset is when you perform 2 to 3 exercises in rapid succession. To focus on one muscle group, for example, try doing a chest press immediately followed by a set of pushups.
Or, if you are really pressed for time, do a superset involving multip
le muscles working at once, like a stability ball chest press
Followed with a stability ball leg curl.
Using the stability ball for both exercises forces you to work your core and stay balanced. With the chest press, you'll also be working your glutes and legs because you have to hold yourself up in the bridge position. If you were lying on the bench for the chest press, your glutes and legs would be at rest, and you'd get no benefit. For both exercises, complete 12-20 reps. For the chest press, make sure to use enough weight to feel fatigue during the last couple of reps.
More muscles working at once means you'll spend less time at the gym, which means you'll have more time for shopping! Huzzah!

HEALTHY INDULGENCE:

My favorite low-calorie holiday cookie is perfect for the chef who is A) pressed for time and B) isn't the greatest in the kitchen (like me). All you need is spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin. Mix the two, drop portions onto a cookie sheet and then pop in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes (or until done). Voila! Delish low-cal cookies to bring to a celebration. You can also add butterscotch or chocolate chips (or both) to the mix. It will up the calorie count, but they are definitely more tasty.

Be Well!



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