How to stay "fit as a fiddle" during the holidays

In these hectic times before Christmas and the New Year, take a few moments to read this, no matter how busy you are. It may help you to unwind and to be able to get more joy out of this special time of year. So do not only read these tips; carry them out and start TODAY!
It is very important to include work-outs, fitness and healthy habits in your weekly schedule, even - or especially - in the Holiday season.
Read these ten ways to stay (or become...!) your fit old self around the Christmas tree!

Rule number one: never skip breakfast! And please also keep to three meals a day, never skip one because you want to reduce the calorie intake because of a late dinner party the night before. You will achieve the opposite of your purpose: skipping meals can considerably contribute to weight gain or even obesity.

Make it a habit, as from now, to take a filling, protein snack before you go out to a party or dinner. Eating a healthy snack in advance will prevent you from immediately diving into the crisps, nuts or tapas.

Take, for example: couple of almonds (about 12, eat them slowly, and chew well; one by one!) or a bowl of yoghurt with a little muesli (unsweetened), or cottage cheese (low fat).

Also make it a habit, also as from NOW (and not only during the holidays!) to take 2 units of water for every unit of wine. Yes, we know: wine has some good aspects, but it dehydrates the body. So, always ask for water too, whenever you drink wine. Not only will you feel less "hung over" the next morning; you will also drink less than usual because the water will fill you up.

Don't be tempted to have soda, energy or sports drinks or juices, and if you absolutely MUST have punch, stick to half a glass! Remember: these are all very rich in calories and, moreover, they do absolutely nothing for you, except making you overweight.

Pump up your metabolism by eating spicy food like pepper, cayenne pepper, hot sauces (sugar free!), etc.  Perfect on meat and vegetables, and even on potatoes.

And the good old saying is still applicable... an apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Moreover, recent studies showed that eating 3 apples a day - before breakfast, before lunch and before dinner - can contribute to losing weight!

We said it before, but here 's some more explanation: make sure you get sufficient sleep! It's very tempting to stay up for some extra hours, while you're in the right spirit and happily wrapping away, but please be aware of the fact that when you do not get enough sleep, two hormones start to protest: the ghrelin and the leptin, and this, unfortunately, contributes to gaining weight!

By the way: stress is also a "bad guy" as it comes to weight gain... This is because of an increase of the stresshormon cortisole. So relax... listen to your i-pod or mp3, or play a cd as background music. Opt for relaxing music, or maybe you like to dance or sing off all the hectic... just do it! Your level of cortisol will drop down!

Stay cool - literally, this time. Lower the heat a little, so you're body temperature will become somewhat lower and you will need to warm up, which takes a few more calories to burn.

And last, but definitely not least: exercise... in this month of festivities, you need it more than ever. And the best thing to do is: weight lifting and aerobics; interval strength exercises. A nice long walk is perfectly ok and good for the body and soul, but walking is not enough to lose weight or at least prevent you from becoming overweight.

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