Holiday Tip #4

Day 4 of Holiday Tips!

FITNESS TIP:

Another great way to spend less time at the gym: circuit training. A circuit training program consists of a series of resistance-training exercises that you can perform, one after the other, with minimal rest. Because you're quickly moving from one exercise to the next, circuit training is also an excellent form of cardiorespiratory training. That means if you hate jumping on a treadmill but love lifting weights, this is perfect for you. Here's an example of a workout:

1) Chest press with dumbbells on the stability ball
2) Lat pull down
3) Standing overhead dumbbell press while balancing on one foot
4) Dumbbell curls while standing on a bosu ball
5) Skull crushers while lying on a stability ball
6) Alternating backward lunges while holding 2 dumbbells
7) Short rest (if you need it) for 60-90 seconds

Repeat this circuit once or twice depending on how much time you have. You'll train all of your body parts in this workout, which means if you can't make it to the gym tomorrow, you're covered.


HEALTHY INDULGENCE:

In honor of Hanukkah, I wanted to offer an alternative for latkes. Potato pancakes are really delicious, but an average serving contains about 200 calories and 11 grams of fat. Add the sour cream and applesauce and you're piling on even more. Usually I would say, who cares, indulge! Hanukkah only comes once a year! 
 
But if you can't afford to do that right now, try Dr. Praeger's brand potato pancakes for a yummy swap. These pancakes have half the calories and only 4 grams of fat. Add a dollop of low-fat sour cream (or for an even healthier alternative, substitute non-fat greek yogurt for the sour cream) and some unsweetened apple sauce and you're ready to go!

Be Well!