5 Ways to Avoid Weight Gain over the Holidays

As a fitness professional and busy housewife/mom, I often find it hard to “practice what I preach”, with regards to my nutrition.  A lot of us moms are on-the-go most of the day and rarely leave time for proper meal planning and drinking enough water, let alone sitting down to eat.  Now that the holidays are upon us, there is the added busyness of decorating, shopping, wrapping, hosting, partying, etc. (not to mention vacations/travel).

I just went on vacation with my family, and though I’m all about fitness, I’m still a normal person who likes to eat delicious meals and desserts and try the cuisine of new and exciting places!  Nevertheless, I did try to follow 5 simple rules to help me avoid weight gain during my trip, and I intend to follow them throughout the holiday season.

So, whether you’re staying in town for the holidays, traveling to someone else’s home or going on a vacation, I’ve put together explanations of my top 5 ways to avoid weight gain over the holidays:

1. Stave off overeating with water.  Drink at least 8 oz. of water before every meal, no matter whether it is a snack or a full meal.  Filling your belly with liquid will help send signals to your brain that you are full, so you will most likely avoid over-indulging.  Try iced tea or flavored zero-calorie water, if you get tired of plain water.  It’s better to be consistent in drinking prior to meals than to give up because you’re sick of water.                                                                                                                                          
2. Pack protein into your snack time to remain satiated.  I’m sure you’ve all heard that protein keeps you satisfied.  But how much actually does the trick?  Recent studies have indicated that you need at least 10 grams of protein with each snack to make it a satisfying, hunger-defeating snack.  Try one of the following: low-sugar Greek yogurt, a low-sugar protein bar (Think Thin, B-Up, Quest, Atkins Brand meal bars), 2 hard-boiled eggs, or a low fat cheese stick wrapped in turkey.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
   
3. Eat a small meal before heading to a party.  In keeping with the above trends, eat a protein-packed, low sugar, low sodium snack before you go to an event where most of the food or goodies will be hard to resist.  You should be less tempted to over-indulge if you aren’t hungry (kind of like the rule, “Never go to the grocery store on an empty stomach.”                                                
4. Sit down while eating.  Many reputable studies have shown that a major factor in overeating is how/when you eat.  If you practice sitting down every time you eat a snack or a meal (and that doesn’t mean eating in the car after pulling through a drive thru), you are most likely going to think twice about whether or not you have time for a snack.  If you have to find time to sit down to eat, then you can’t possibly eat as often as you would if you held a burger or sandwich and ate on the go.  Equally true, if you sit down to eat, you are more aware of your tummy, how full it actually is, how much it hangs over your pants, and how uncomfortable you are when you overeat.                                                                                                                                                                                
   
5. Take a hike!  I would be remiss as a personal trainer and nutritionist if I didn’t stress the importance of exercise.  You probably will overeat, or eat the wrong types of foods (processed carbohydrates, refined sugars, fatty foods, high salt content) because they are just so darn delicious or good to look at.  So, make part of your get-togethers active: an after-dinner walk, a hike with friends, a bike ride with the kids.  Burn off some of those foods you didn’t resist, and make activity more of a priority each day as you get closer to your New Year’s resolution.  

10 Signs of Dehydration

Don't let the Fall winds or cold-weather blasts dry you out.  If you're an athlete, a healthcare worker or a teacher, you're likely spending time in places with lots of germs hanging around. Dehydration may make you more susceptible to getting sick and staying out of the game. 

If you're a healthy adult, you can usually treat mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, such as water or a sports drink (Gatorade, Powerade, others), especially before, during and after exercise. Unfortunately, thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the body's need for water, especially in children and older adults. A better indicator is the color of your urine: Clear or light-colored urine means you're well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually signals dehydration.

You can help prevent dehydration from becoming severe by carefully monitoring someone who is sick and giving fluids at the first sign of dizziness, diarrhea, vomiting or fever. Get immediate medical care if you or a loved one develops any of the severe signs and symptoms described below.  

10 Signs of Dehydration

By Mayo Clinic Staff, Adapted by Allison D.Salibian, November 2014

Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause these 10 signs:

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
• Thirst
• Decreased urine output
• No wet diapers for three hours for infants
• Few or no tears when crying
• Dry skin
• Headache
• Constipation
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause these 10 signs:

• Extreme thirst
• Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
• Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be darker than normal
• Sunken eyes
• Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat and/or rapid breathing
• No tears when crying
• Fever
• In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness

How to Fuel for a 5K Race*

Different races require different types and amounts of training as well as varying nutritional requirements. To run a marathon you need to put in months of training. You also need to develop a nutrition plan that fuels your workouts, allows you to store muscle glycogen, and provides you with adequate fuel and hydration throughout the race.

Running the 5K doesn't require months of training or a finely-tuned nutrition plan that longer races do. But it does require that you eat the appropriate nutrients to support your training. It also requires getting enough vitamins and minerals from your foods to support a healthy immune system and prevent illness that could keep you sidelined.

Also, having a plan for proper pre- and post-race nutrition will help you avoid unwanted GI issues during the run and keep you from gaining weight.

Healthy Everyday Training Diet

Glucose fuels the brain and muscles, and runners need strong bodies and brainpower to perform.

How to get glucose: Carbohydrates break down into glucose faster than fats and proteins can be converted. If you're looking for quick energy, carbohydrates are the way to go. But contrary to popular belief, a runner's diet doesn't need to be made up entirely of breads, pasta and cereal. Aim for 50 to 65 percent of your daily intake to come from quality carbohydrate sources like whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat bread, quinoa), low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables (with a dose of the starchy ones like sweet potatoes). Round out your meals with a source of lean protein and some healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, or nuts and seeds. This is very basic, but a good training diet doesn't need to be complicated.

What to Eat on Race Day

The slightly more complicated aspect of a 5K training diet is choosing what to eat race-day morning. Your daily diet plays the biggest role in determining how well you're able to train, recover, and stay healthy. But the meal(s) you choose to eat (or not eat) before a race is the most important one. If your race is early in the morning, your dinner should serve as your main meal. This meal should be rich in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. You'll want to avoid foods high in fat or fiber because these can make digestion tough and lead to GI distress the next day.

Many runners make the mistake of thinking they need to "carbo-load" on plates full of pasta and breadsticks the night before a race. Carbohydrate loading is a scientific process that involves decreasing training and increasing carbohydrate intake in the days before an event. When done correctly, it can allow an athlete to maximize their muscle glycogen stores, which is the fuel used in longer races, to avoid "hitting the wall." Research has shown that this technique is only useful for athletes competing in events lasting 90 minutes or longer, which is rarely the case with a 5K.

*Repost from:  Emily Brown | For Active.com

How to Use My Fitness Pal App - Do This. I do!!

Do you find it challenging to stick to good eating habits? Do you use time as an excuse to neglect a healthy lifestyle? Are you ready to make the transition from couch potato to hot potato but don't know where to get started? We've got just the PAL for you!

The MyFitnessPal app on the smart phone is a quick and easy app to use, even for the busiest of people. Because it is on a device you use constantly, your iPhone, it is the best on-the-go tool to manage your eating habits, your water intake, and your daily exercise. This app has many easy to use features including a calorie counter that adds calories when you select the food items you ate during that day and subtracts calories according to the amount of exercise you input.

Follow the step to a healthier you!

Step 1: Signing Up

After downloading the MyFitnessPal app from the App Store, open the MyFitnessPal app.  You can choose to sign up with your Facebook account, but for this instructable, we chose to simply tap the "Sign Up" button.

Enter your complete email address including the URL (for example @gmail.com). When you are finished typing your email address, tap the "done" button that is located at the bottom right corner of your screen.

Step 2: Enter Your Weight and Activity Level

Begin by tapping the first white box under "How much do you weigh?" and enter your current weight in pounds. If you are unsure of your current weight, you can estimate for now and edit your settings later.

Then tap the second white box under "How much would you like to weigh?" and enter your goal weight. You can also change this as your goals change.

Choose how active you are from the following options: sedentary, lightly active, active, or very active. 

Step 3: Enter Your Gender, Date of Birth, and Height

Select your gender by tapping either male or female.

Then enter your date of birth by tapping of the white box under "When were you born?" and scroll through the options and until reaching the correct month, date, and year. After selected your date of birth, tap the blue "done" button at the top right corner of the keyboard. Then tap the arrow at the top right corner of the screen.

Enter your height by tapping on the white box under "How tall are you?". Select your height in feet and inches by scrolling through the options and then tap the blue "done" button in the middle of the screen.

Step 4: Enter Your Username, Password, and Zip Code

Tap the first white box that says "Choose a user name" and type the user name you would like to use for the app.

Tap the second Choose a user name and password and then list your zip code.  After your account is created, it will list your net calorie goal.  When you wish to begin, press "Start Tracking Now". 

Step 5: View and Agree to Terms and Privacy

View and agree to the MyFitnessPal Terms of Use.  You will then be directed to your home page.  

Step 6: Add Food to Diary

When you want to enter your first food item, click "Add to Diary" in the top right corner.  Select which meal you would like to enter from the following options: breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack.

Step 7: Search for Food

Search for the food you would like to add by tapping the area that says "Search for Lunch". Then begin typing the food item you wish to enter.

Step 8: Search and Select Foods

To begin searching for food, tap the white oval search bar at the top of your screen.  Using the keyboard, type what you ate for your meal.  After typing, press the blue "Search" button in the bottom right corner.

Search results will appear and will contain the title of the food and a small description beneath it as well as the portion size and calorie count.  You will need to scroll through the options until you reach a food item that most closely resembles what you ate. To select a food item, you simply have to tap it.   

Step 9: Add Food to Your Food Diary

Once you have selected a food item by tapping it, you can change the number of servings you ate.  For example, if you only ate half of the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, tap the row that says "Number of Servings" and scroll to "0 1/2".  For this example, we kept the number of servings at 1.  To finish adding the food, tap the white check mark in the upper right corner.

It will then return you to your Diary homepage, and the calories consumed will be reflected in the Food calorie count number and the calories remaining number.   

Step 10: Select Water to List Water Intake

To begin adding water intake, press the white + sign in the upper right corner of your Diary home page.

From the "Add Entry" menu, scroll down until you see the row labeled "Water" under the title "Water".  Tap the "Water" row to add water intake.  

Step 11: Select Cups of Water Consumed

To select the number of cups of water consumed, scroll through the numbers until you reach the number you consumed.  Then tap the white check mark in the upper right corner.

You will then be returned to your Diary homepage.  Your water intake will then be reflected under the row labeled "Water Consumption".  

Step 12: Add Exercise to Your Diary

To begin logging exercise, tap the plus (+) sign in the upper right corner.

Scroll down to the section titled "Exercises".  Select either the "Cardiovascular" row or "Strength" row by tapping based on the type of exercises completed.  For this example, we chose cardiovascular exercises.  

Tip:  Cardiovascular exercises are things that elevate your heart rate for an extended period of time like running, jogging, swift walking, swimming, bicycling, and almost any sports related activity.  Strength exercises are muscle-building exercises like lifting weights and doing things like push-ups, squats, and pull-ups.  

Step 13: Search for Exercises Performed

To search for exercises, begin by tapping the white, oval search bar at the top of your screen.

Type the exercise performed using the keyboard, and tap the blue button labeled "Search" in the bottom right corner.  

Step 14: Select Exercises Performed and Time

Search results will appear and will contain the title of the exercise and a small description.  You will need to scroll through the options until you reach an exercise item that most closely resembles what you did. To select an exercise item, you simply have to tap it.

You then have to type how long you performed the exercise in minutes using the keyboard.  To complete the entry, press the white check mark in the upper right corner.

It will then return you to your diary homepage and calories burned will be added back to your calories remaining box.  

Step 15: Keep it up and keep yourself motivated!

That is how you use the MyFitnessPal app! Some things to help you get motivated may be committing to use the app for a specific time frame or to add friends in order to have someone to answer to for whether or not you are meeting your calorie goals.

I hope that this has encouraged you to remove your hand from the potato chip bag and use it to download this app.  It is great for recognizing your current lifestyle habits and helping you to form goals towards reaching an ideal weight.