Fitness Newsletter                                 December 1, 2005

In this issue:

• Eight Rules for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain...
• Ten Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
• Health Briefs
• Fitness Quiz
  

Eight Rules for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain. . .

The holidays are fast approaching! And during the holidays, it's easy to lose focus of your health and fitness goals as you're subjected to the constant onslaught of stress, obligations, tempting foods, and festive parties. This pressure can be compounded by the worry of how much weight you may gain during the holidays. But you can do something about it -- just stick to these eight simple rules.

1. Have a vision.
   
   What is your long-term vision for your body and health? What's important to you: weight loss, increased self-confidence, more energy, a better quality of life? Have a long-term, year round plan and not a plan just to get you through the holidays. Set a timeline to achieve your vision. During the holiday season, focus on the short-term. Think about how you want to look and feel now and at the beginning of the New Year. Allow for contingencies and plan how to deal with them. What contingencies, obstacles or outside influences will you encounter during the holidays: tempting treats, too much to do and too little time to do it, emotional ups and downs, judgmental and discouraging relatives? Prepare yourself for these contingencies. Put your plan in writing.
   
   
2. Track your eating and exercise habits.
   
   Although the holiday season may not be the most conducive to keeping track of your eating and exercise habits, it is critical to achieving your weight loss goals. Make a commitment to yourself to continue tracking food and exercise habits throughout the holidays. It should only take a few minutes each day. Even if you feel there is not enough time, do it anyway.
   
   
3. Eat regularly.
   
   Eat regular meals and planned snacks every day so that you don't get hungry. Hungry people lose their ability to make good choices and find themselves eating whatever is available. In order to reduce cravings, binges, and general overeating throughout the holidays, eat enough so that you don't get hungry!
   
   
4. Think 90/10.
   
   Completely depriving yourself of treats, especially during the holidays, is a recipe for disaster. Aim to eat healthy food and stay within your calorie and fat goals approximately 80-90% of the time. For the remainder of the time, don't worry about what you should or should not eat.
   
   
5. Watch portion sizes.
   
   During the holidays it's especially easy to eat bigger portions and more of everything. Be aware that the large amount of food around you at holiday parties may prompt you to want to eat bigger portions than you normally would eat. Portion control is a must for weight control.
   
   
6. Avoid emotional eating.
   
   Avoid misusing food to ease emotional discomfort or to make social situations easier. No matter how stressed or down you're feeling, don't fall into the trap of emotional eating at holiday time. In the end, you'll feel worse, not better.
   
   
7. Value exercise.
   
   During the holidays it's easy to find exercise-avoiding excuses. Ignore these excuses and exercise anyway.
   
   
8. Don't procrastinate!
   
   Holiday time is prime time for putting important things off until the next day. If you feel like you've strayed from your weight control plan during the holidays, don't think "I'll start again tomorrow." You must start again immediately! If you keep waiting until "tomorrow," you'll never make the changes you need to make.

Ten Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you fall asleep easily, then wake up 5 hours later and can't fall back asleep? Do you wake up several times during the night and have trouble staying asleep? If so, you are one of over 100 million Americans who experience some form of insomnia and your sleep may be improved by better sleep habits.

1. Make your bedroom primarily a place for sleeping. It is not a good idea to use your bed for paying bills, doing work, etc. Help your body recognize that this is a place for rest or intimacy.
   
   
2. Keep your bedroom peaceful and comfortable. Make sure your room is well ventilated and the temperature consistent. And try to keep it quiet. You could use a fan or a "white noise" machine to help block outside noises.
   
   
3. Hide your clock. A big, illuminated digital clock may cause you to focus on the time and make you feel stressed and anxious. Place your clock so you can't see the time when you are in bed.
   
   
4. Expose yourself to bright light/sunlight soon after awakening. This will help to regulate your body's natural biological clock. Likewise, try to keep your bedroom dark while you are sleeping so that the light will not interfere with your rest.
   
   
5. Exercise early in the day. Thirty to sixty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.
   
   
6. Do not nap during the day. If you are having trouble sleeping at night, try not to nap during the day because you will throw off your body clock and make it even more difficult to sleep at night. If you are feeling especially tired, and feel as if you absolutely must nap, be sure to sleep for less than 30 minutes (early in the day).
   
   
7. Jot down all of your concerns and worries. Anxiety excites the nervous system, so your brain sends messages to the adrenal glands, making you more alert. Write down your worries and possible solutions before you go to bed, so you don't need to ruminate in the middle of the night. A journal or "to do" list may be very helpful in letting you put away these concerns until the next day when you are fresh.
   
   
8. Don't eat a large, heavy meal before bed. This can cause indigestion and interfere with your normal sleep cycle. Drinking too much fluid before bed can cause you to get up to urinate. Try to eat your dinner at least two hours before bedtime.
   
   
9. Limit caffeine and alcohol. Avoid drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages for several hours before bedtime. Although alcohol may initially act as a sedative, it can interrupt normal sleep patterns.
   
   
10. Keep a regular schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, even on the weekends. Keeping a regular schedule will help your body expect sleep at the same time each day. Don't oversleep to make up for a poor night's sleep - doing that for even a couple of days can reset your body clock and make it hard for you to get to sleep at night.

Fitness Quiz

Test your fitness knowledge.
        - On average, which of the following exercises burns the least amount of calories?

1. Jumping rope
2. Jogging
3. Cycling
4. Pilates

When it comes to burning calories, Pilates is no match for traditional cardio. Jogging can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour, while Pilates pales by comparison, burning approximately 275 calories per hour. (d. Pilates)