By Carol Flick, Nutritionist & Personal Trainer
Want to look and feel your best just in time for the holidays??? My name is Carol Flick (a Diva Center Diamond Provider) and I own a personal training business where I am a Licensed Sports Nutritionist & Certified Personal Trainer. I have a passion for helping people with their health, fitness and well being.
Here are some tips to help you gain some momentum BEFORE the holidays so you will be ahead of the game!
1) Watch out for the sugar!
Your immune system is weakened by sugar. If you want to stay healthy and avoid getting sick stay away from the sugar. If you want to indulge in some sugar than be sure that you have a good source of protein with it to counter balance it. Alcohol is also a contributor to this too. Alcohol absorbs in the stomach and not the intestines, so keep it to a minimum to keep the belly fat down.
2) Do at least 20 minutes of exercise a day.
This is so great for so many reasons. First reason is that stress is toxic and exercise releases stress from the body. Secondly, it releases all of our feel good hormones that make us feel more confident, happy and balanced in life. Also, an added benefit is that it makes you look younger and better. You can always spot when someone you know is starting a new exercise program because they have something different about them you just can’t put your finger on. Join a new gym, hire a personal trainer, recruit a SERIOUS workout partner, and play with your kids in the park. These are just a few of the ways that will help motivate you to get moving.
3) Drink your water.
Water is crucial to the body. Being chronically dehydrated is linked to many health issues. We are at least 70% water and need it for not only fat loss but also it is a natural detoxifier to the all of the body’s organs. I suggest 80-128 oz. of purified water per day. This will give you more energy too. Fat is release through your breath or your urine. I suggest you drink more water and pass it through your urine. J
4) Eat 5-7 times per day.
This is a hard concept for so many people. When I work with a client for the first time and I give them their menu for the week they look at me like I am crazy. The often say “I can’t eat all of that, I will get fat”. The truth is that our bodies require us to eat often for our blood sugar as well as our metabolism. Every time you eat (as long as you don’t over eat) it sparks your metabolism by 25%. In the beginning for those who don’t do this you may feel full, but after 3-5 days you will be able to know what time it is on the clock by your hunger level every 2-3 hours.
5) Be sure to have good quality protein EVERY time you eat.
Protein in a good source will keep your blood sugar level for about 3 hours. This is important to have because if your blood sugar is off you will store fat, feel tired, feel irritable, feel weak, feel faint and so much more. Plus, our immune system is dependant on getting protein in consistently. Some good sources are chicken breast (organic and free range), turkey breast (organic and free range), eggs (cage free), fish (not farmed), whey protein (organic is the most bio-available) and nuts (organic).
6) Eat before going to the party.
Now I am not trying to take Thanksgiving away from you. Thanksgiving is only 1 day of the year. I am talking about all of the other days. If you eat before going to the event you will feel less like hanging out by the food table. Remember it is what you do most often that makes a difference in your health and body. If you indulge on a daily basis you will look and feel like you do, if you eat healthy and exercise on a daily basis you will look and feel like you do this too.
If you have any questions and are unsure where to get any of the items I suggested feel free to contact me at 619-997-3891 or e-mail me at carol@funtobefit.com
To your health and wellbeing,
Personal Trainer, ACE
Licensed Sports Nutritionist, NASN
Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, ACE
