Holiday fitness help (and some Thanksgiving shout-outs)

Well, I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  My in-laws came into town and visited (shout out to The Bray Family-woot woot!) and we had ridiculous amounts of fun.  Without going into all the details, let me just throw out some words to describe the holiday for me this year (it was my first Thanksgiving with my new husband Matthew Bray!):

My First Turkey...

Harry Potter World.  Butterbeer.  Tangled (hilarious).  Cooking my first turkey EVER.  Helping a friend in need.  Competitive Scattegories.  Giada de Laurentiis Thanksgiving menu.  Hours and hours of cooking.  Bonding.  IKEA (enough said).  Angry Birds.  Insane amounts of food.  Downtown Disney.  Toasted Coconut Ice Cream.  Whole Foods.  Wine.  Walking.  More Walking.  Gifts.  Restaurants.  Universal Studios.  Love.  Even more walking.  Blessings.  Thankfulness and missing my mom, dad, sister.  Time well spent with my husband and in-laws!

My Mother's Corn Pudding- YUM!

I would consider it a most wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.  The Lord is continuing to amaze me with the gifts he brings into my life each and every day.

Pam Bray's Coconut Banana Cream Pie

On another note, I was determined to stick to my workout plan on the week of Thanksgiving and let me just say- I DID IT and I feel fantastic.  Mrs. Bray and I cooked homemade goodies for so many hours that indulging in stuffing, my Mom's most amazing corn pudding recipe, pecan pie, and "green stuff" produced no shame in eating my fill of Thanksgiving comfort food.  That being said, most people decide that since they indulged, they might as well take off the week in their exercise routine, too, which makes no sense.  First, that  makes you feel worse.  Second, anytime you can sneak in a healthy meal or exercise routine, it is a positive thing, ESPECIALLY on holidays.  That doesn't mean you can't relax and I'm willing to bet that sticking to your guns concerning exercise will make you feel better on days when eating a little less healthy seems unavoidable.

Here are some fitness tips for your holiday season exercise:


1. I've said this before, but again, make it your goal to not only maintain, but to get in BETTER shape by the end of the holiday season.

2.  Find a program, and stick to it.  Pick the day and hour that works best for you.  Train 3-5 times a week (weight lifting and cardio elements) and get your butt into shape!

3.  Change up the exercises every week or bi-weekly.  Keep your body guessing and you will not only see results physically, but you will stretch your strength mentally as well.

4.  Focus.  Concentrate on the muscle you are working and put all your energy into it!

5.  When lifting weights use the full range of motion and lift smoothly, as opposed to jerkily.

6.  Quality, not quantity.  Focus on form over lifting obscene amounts of weight. (Ladies:  At the same time, don't be afraid to lift heavier weights-you won't get bulky)

7.  Set up a goal and a time frame and work towards it.  Train for a half marathon, a bodybuilding show, set up session with a photographer, or whatever you will...

8.  Jump rope for your cardio.  It is super hard and pumps up your heart rate in a hot second!

9.  Treat the gym like a circus and get creative!  (this week I'll be posting more about this...)

10.  EAT.  Every meal.  Especially breakfast.  Farmers starve their pigs all day and then give them a big ole' meal at the end of the day to ensure fattening of epic proportions.  Don't be like the pigs.  Eat 5-6 small meals each day. 

Discussion topic:  What do you do to stay in shape over the holidays? (post in comments :))

Hope you had a WONDERFUL AND BLESSED Thanksgiving!

Keeping it simple

When it comes to healthy eating and healthy living, I have found that simpler is better.  It is all too easy to become consumed in rules and regulations concerning diet and exercise.  I had the most profound epiphany and I continue to bounce the thoughts around in my head throughout the day.  The epiphany is this:  eating and living healthily is a breath of fresh air.  It is free, liberating, and medicinal.  To treat it as anything else is a violation of what it is to be healthy.  Life ought to  be a reflection of decadence, wholesomeness, and purity.  My husband gave me some profound insight this morning after going through his daily devotional.  "Everything we do, every move we make, every breath we take is meaningful, significant, and affects not only our lives on earth but resonates in the heavens and vibrates throughout eternity."  Doesn't that make you think about all those choices you haphazardly make, almost throwing them out, tossing them into the wind?   So that made me think, what SIMPLE choices can I make to promote a healthier lifestyle TODAY?

10 simple choices that promote delectable living:

1) Instead of going to the gym every day, do something adventurous;  Go dancing, go surfing, play tennis, or simply take a long reflective walk, or jog.  Plan in a long run day and see where life takes you on that day.  The world is meant to be explored!

2) Allow yourself a square of dark chocolate (70% or higher) for dessert;  This delectable indulgence not only tastes delicious, but also contains antioxidants pleasing to the body.

3) Eat off smaller plates, and fill half of that with vegetables.

4) Learn about spices and fresh herbs and use them in your cooking for flavor;  This will cut down on the necessity to cook with excessive fat.

5) Pick parking spaces further from the door;  Think of it this way:  you get to walk further burning more calories, and you are allowing someone else to park closer that may need, or want that spot more.  It is the little things in life that add up.

6) Enter yourself for a 5k or 10k every once and a while to hold you accountable;  This also gives you something to work toward.

7) Shop the perimeter of your supermarket, buy foods that spoil (veggies), and frequent a farmers market for more variety and freshness.

8) Practice doing LESS.  Put three things on your to do list and let the rest go.  Spend MORE time doing something you've always wanted to do.

9) Single Task.  Just because future employers think its cool that you can multitask doesn't mean thats what is healthy for your life;  Treat yourself well and learn to single task.  Make tea and do nothing, but make tea.  Savor the experience.

10) Serve.  Figure out ways to serve your husband, your friends, your neighbors, a complete stranger.  Give and don't just do it for the holidays;  Really BECOME a giver. 

Matt (my husband) and I decided to get out of the gym (see tip #1) and do something we've always wanted to do:  Aerial Arts.  Yep.  Climbing things like monkeys, falling from the air, freaky extreme sport-esque hobby.  Conclusion:  Most difficult, but amazing thing and best simple decision I've ever made!