Reduce Stress and Feel Better

Stress can deplete your energy and diminish your healthy resolution results. Try these quick exercises to reduce stress and feel better.
1. Take a deep breathing break. Try concentrating on your breathing for 2 minutes. Inhaling and exhaling slowly and bringing the breath down into your belly. This will help tone your lower abs if you concentrate on pulling your belly button deep into your spine on the exhaled breathes.
2. Simple neck stretches to the side and front corners can relieve built up tension from paying bills or sitting at your computer. Relax your shoulders and lean your head to each side holding the stretch for 10-30 seconds.
3. Take a walk. While doing your grocery shopping, take a few extra laps around the store. You don't need a gym to get in some regular exercise. Multi-task by pushing that cart stock full of fruits, vegetables, exercise videos and gear around the store next time you shop. Wear a pedometer to track your steps and try for 2,000 steps each time you shop to get in a full mile walk.

Fit Holiday Gifts

Are you holiday shopping for gift that promote better living and health? Here are a few of my favorites in price points that anyone can afford.

Around $10
Omron HJ-150 pedometer $12 www.amazon.com
Petra Kolba Beginner Cardio - $9.99-$14.99 Acaciacatalog.com
Fitness Magazine or More magazine subscription $12.00 fitness.com / more.com
Iphone application Lose Weight - itunes.com

$10-50
Stainless Steel Water Bottle $15.99 Thinksportbottles.com
Natural Fitness Equipment Toning Kit $29.99 Resistance Kit $25.99, Soft Weighted Balls $15.99 - $19.99 Naturalfitnessinc.com
Boottight $29.99 www.Dillards.com
NAMCO BANDAI’s Wii – Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked, $39.99 www.cookorbecooked.com

$50-100
GNC Well Being Vitamins/Minerals $59.99 month available at GNC
Power Juicer - $59.99
Moji Icing Wrap $80-$100 www.gomoji.com

$100-200
Gaim Balance Ball Chair $100 Gaim.com
Skechers Shape Ups $110 skechers.com
Polar FT7 heart rate monitor $119.95 www.polarusa.com
Descente Men's Cycling Jersey $200 Descente Tights $150 www.descenteathletic.com
Personal training sessions $120 + travel www.andreametcalf.com

$200- 500
Kahtoola Snow shoes $289 kahtoola.com
Rollerblade Race Machine $559 www.rollerblade.com
Golds Gym Treadmill $587 walmart.com
Nordic Trak Ellliptical $650 sears.com

$1000+
Weekend retreat at Oaks Ojai Spa www.oaksspa.com

surviving the holidays

Here are a few quick tips for successfully cheating the holiday weight gain.

Calories Count - Whether its a football game at friends, a holiday buffet or the big family party, you have to be calorie wise. Take a few of your favorite foods and learn the calorie pitfalls. One I see at the office is trail mix. Nuts, raisins and a little bit of chocolate doesn’t seem so bad, but 1/4 cup (less than a handful) can be 150 calories. While watching the football game, switch your normal potato chips to Kettle Brand Baked chips. My favorite is the Black pepper--Pepper is good for digestion too. You can get as many as 22 chips for that same calorie range (120 in Kettle’s baked chips). Another slippery slope is the cheesy, gooey, creamy dips that accompany so many appetizers. Skip the chip and use vegetables for dipping. If you really love your dips at least you are not adding 100 calorie crackers to the count. You may even substitute Old London melba toast rounds. They are flavored and have only 60 calories for 3 big tastes.
Push the Protein - When you start grazing, carbs alone with give you that sugar high and drop-- meaning you will be hungry for more. AND your spirited beverages act as carbohydrates on the body and will also give you that rush. Therefore, to stabilize blood sugar and keep your tummy full, opt for protein bites. Skip the little bun on the tenderloin sandwiches and chose cocktail shrimp when available. For under 200 calories you can eat 36 medium cocktail shrimp and even if you add the cocktail sauce at 15 calories a tablespoon, you’ll still be on track.
Don’t Deny Desert - At this holiday time of year, it’s even harder to skip the treats, so leave that to the other 10 months! But, beware and chose smart. Cut the pie into a 1/3 or half slice to skim calories or add International Delight’s new line of 40 calorie creamers to your coffee to indulge in a little treat. Remember fruit pies are lower in calories than cream, pumpkin and even pecan. My favorite is adding those flavored creamers over berries. I get all the sweet and creamy flavor together.
Chew Gum - For every party, keep a pack of gum in your purse. Chewing gum helps freshen your breath, so you will be ready for kissing under the mistletoe. And research shows that chewing gum can help reduce the craving for snacking. My favorite is Wrigleys Five blue gum- I don’t leave home without it.
Sleep over Exercise - Now don’t use this everyday, but surely you will want to get the minimum amount of sleep during the holidays - 6 hours. If it’s one or the other I recommend choosing sleep. Sleep helps regulate the hormones leptin and gherlin that aid in maintaining your weight and regulating appetite. Even a little exercise can go a long way, so if you can sneak in 20-30 minutes that can offset a few hundred calories.

Enjoy the holidays and remember to stand over sitting, better to give than receive and smile rather than frown- keep the wrinkles away!