Get Fit For The Holidays!

Welcome to the SuperSlow Zone®. Is it November already? Must be – my boys are already putting in their list for Christmas. Mind you, the video games THEY request don’t do anything but exercise their fingers to the point of cramping – much like many of you who get locked into your desks at your keyboards. Luckily for them, and you, the twenty-minute SuperSlow workout ensures they build their muscular infrastructure, with a minimum time commitment.

The holidays make your choice to put exercise a priority a challenging one – who has the time? Well, you SuperSlow® users know YOU do. But watching the diet is also a challenge, with the plethora of sweets out there. Just keep it balanced, do your portion control, and keep the RIGHT types of fluids pouring into your body. There are great tips abounding to focus you on the reason for holiday celebrations, and away from the destruction caused by bad eating habits or behaviors.

Along those lines, maintain some balance by…:

• Of all things, did you know that getting sweaty can help your skin? Regular exercise reduces your insulin levels and stress hormones, which, when elevated, can trigger the production of breakout-boosting sebum. (Source: Women’s Health/November 2008)
• 1-2 cups of tea daily does your heart good – but make it fresh-brewed; ready-to-drink teas don’t offer the same benefits, as the catechins degrade once water is added. Also, adding milk may eliminate tea’s protective effects on the cardiovascular system, so stick to lemon or honey.
• Drink that water! Drinking just one or more regular OR diet cola daily doubles your risk of metabolic syndrome (including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, and excess fat around the waist). PLUS the phosphoric acid in soda may contribute to bone loss by changing the acid balance in your blood. Better choices (besides water) are tea or coffee, or sparkling water if you need the bubbles…subjects in a California study who sipped more than 4 cups of water a day lost 2 additional pounds compared to those who drank less. (Source: Prevention/December 2008)
• There’s something about purple….concord grapes, blueberries, grape juice (the purple kinds), and red wine all get their deep colors from polyphenols – compounds that reduce heart disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer’s.
• Eating 14 cups of vegetables a week raise blood levels of many protective anti-oxidants. That, in turn, may help preserve your long-term memory and learning capabilities, even as you age. In addition, your veggies reduce risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity – so, load up those veggies on your holiday plates! And if you don’t (can’t?) get enough to meet your requirements, talk to us about the great Univera supplements that make it easy to do so!
• And, again, I know we’ve mentioned it before, but healthy nuts are as a good alternative for snacking or appetizers – walnuts and almonds are high in omega-3’s, fiber, keep you fuller, longer, and have been supportive to weight and body fat loss, while even showing reduced insulin levels. Bonus: those Omega-3’s also help your lips by replacing old skin cells with new ones. So, munch away…

So, watch your calories and health by making just small changes, and pat yourselves on the back for putting your health and fitness on the top of your personal gift list!