10 Tips to a Fit Fall

By Martina Navratilova

Drink plenty of water.
1. If you feel a bit hungry in the afternoon before the big meal, grab a glass of water. Unlike everything else, when it comes to water, too much is better than not enough. So DRINK UP!

Take it easy on the high-calorie alcoholic beverages.
2. I love a good margarita, but it sure does not love me back at over 400 calories (Yikes!). If you are going to drink, forego the high calorie mixed drinks and egg nog in favor of a glass of red wine or champagne. Red wine contains antioxidants that reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, and sparkling wine contains high amounts of natural polyphenols (who knew?) that may protect against coronary heart disease, strokes, and cancer.

Assess your food options and make wise choices.
3. When you see the buffet table, just forget all those white dishes, you know- the ones brimming with cream and all that cheese. For a healthy tip, choose turkey over ham. And when choosing a side dish, scout out the simplest freshest food, the ones where you know what you are actually eating before you put it in your mouth. Green beans or zucchini or spinach are healthier alternatives to the quiche that may or may not have the spinach inside it…

Practice selective indulgence: make sure the calories are really worth it!
4. The holidays are all about celebration, not deprivation. Don’t deny that favorite to die for dessert. Sit down and savor each delicious morsel, just be selective.

Incorporate healthy preparation into your holiday cooking.
5. Think about what’s in the food and how it’s prepared. Depending on the recipe, use a vegetable broth, skim milk, or yogurt in place of high caloric monsters like butter and cream. Substitute fresh fruit purees for rich desert frostings and use citrus juice based dressings and vinaigrettes instead of creamy salad dressings.

Exercise portion control.
6. Just because the food is all you can eat doesn’t mean you should take as much as you think you can eat. Grab the smallest plate and take a small portion of a few things that look delicious. Never stack one food on top of another, it is hard to know how much you have on your plate and besides, the flavors then run together- no point in doing that.

7. Create a new fitness friendly family tradition. It’s easy to spend quality time with your family while still staying active. Start a healthy family tradition, whether it’s decorating the house, throwing the football, around or taking the dogs for a walk after the big meal. Share stories taking a stroll around the block, it’s just as easy as sitting around the dinner table. Lose those extra calories in a fun, user friendly manner.

Make a pact to exchange health conscious gifts.
8. A personal favorite of mine is to give non-stick cookware and/or cutlery because healthier eating starts with the right tools. For newly reformed fitness enthusiasts, consider a stability ball, a step counter, or a handheld audio player. It is just as important to keep the brain as active and fit as the body. Give word games and crossword puzzles (I love sudoku) as gifts to keep the mind agile and stimulated, which in turn helps create new connections in the brain that can delay symptoms of Alzheimers.

Take steps to manage your stress by making exercise and sleep a priority.
9. Exercise is a great outlet for tension while also boosting your energy level. With shopping to do, meals to cook, and family to visit, time is really at a premium during the holidays; so be flexible and creative. Be realistic about what you can do, and try to keep your normal sleep patterns intact. A twenty minute workout is twenty minutes better than not working out. And most importantly, keep everything in perspective.

Make your resolution with a buddy.
10. Working out with a buddy helps take the bah humbug out of exercise. Plus, you are less likely to opt out if you are staying active with a friend. Agree to have the same resolution as a friend; you will be able to use each other’s energy as motivation and you will do better if you’re both working toward the same goal and again, the fun quotient goes up this way.

Follow my seasonal, easy to follow, tips and advice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle throuhgout the year. click an icon below to read other seasonal tips