Holidays are all about giving and family; a wonderful time to soak up the bounty of life and reflect on a year well lived. A full calendar, depletion of your checkbook and less “you time” can make the holidays feel stressful. Mindful preparation for the holiday season goes beyond buying gifts and planning meals. Take some measures to decrease your stress and increase your joy this holiday season. Make time to care for yourself, and next time you read this article you will be all the more grateful for having done so.
Don’t over commit your time. It’s ok to say no to a gathering if its making your calendar unmanageable. To much partying can leave you feeling mentally drained and physically lethargic. Don’t feel guilty about having “nothing else to do”. Down time is critical to sanity; and that is more important than anything! For those events that you plan to attend, be strategic. If its a grazing party, I recommend eating dinner first. Grazing on junk can have negative effects that last for days. Calories add up and perpetuate the gluttony that has become the norm of our holiday season. Have a heart healthy dinner before the event and then focus on conversation instead. Avoid eating too much sugar as it can induce hangovers that are just as bad as those from alcohol. Limit yourself to one serving of dessert, and stand at a distance from the dessert table. Sugar is addictive. Studies show that cravings take about 90 seconds to play themselves out. Getting through that 90 seconds without another visual temptation can be the difference between feeling great the next day and feeling regretful. If you plan to drink alcohol, drink one large glass of water before every drink to allow your body to maintain hydration. Be smart, take an Uber or a Lyft to the party so you don’t have to call a ride if you decide to be more jubilant than usual.
Make time to exercise. Its important to continue your 150 minutes plus of exercise per week right through the chaos of the holidays. A family outing before or after your holiday meal is time well spent, and can become a fun tradition. A game of softball or a family hike is a great way to prepare your mind and your heart for a holiday meal. Exercise immediately decreases Triglyceride levels in the blood for up to 6 hours, so if you or someone in your family has high cholesterol, a pre meal outing could make a big difference in heart health.
Overspending is not kind to yourself. Make a holiday budget. Stick to it. Just like grazing at a holiday party, a little bit here and there can really add up. A perfect gift for the person who has everything is a donation in their name and a caring card. You don’t need to prove you love someone with a gift. Showing them your love with hugs, kind words and a small token of your appreciation can speak volumes.
Get swept away by joy this season. Let that be what you indulge in. Take a quiet moment to look around you. Hold hands with the people you love. Tell them how dear they are, how much their life means to you. These are the gifts that keep giving. This is the reason for the season.
To your health,
Coach Michelle
REMINDER!
We have a FUNKY Schedule this week:
No class on Thursday
Mens and womens Danville Class combined on Friday at MVHS football field
No class at 6am in Moraga Friday.
No classes at CytoSport Friday.
All other classes run as usual.
This could be the view from your Thanksgiving hike!
CardioSweatfest DIY!
Part 1: Warm up well with dynamics for 10 minutes
Part 2: ROM 3 rounds
12 GBHE + Fly
10 Walking Lunges
8 Push Ups
6 Alternating Bird Dogs
4 Handstand kick ups – mod Up dog/dn dog combo
Jog 400M
Part 3: Metcon work + Run – Perform 4 rounds
5 burpees
10 V ups
15 Squat to stand and Row on Tubing
20 Skaters
30 Swimmers on Tubing
RUN 200M
Part 4: Mixed Interval Core Work
Set 1: Perform 20 seconds each non stop.
Alternating side to side Leg Drops
Bicycles
Low Plank
Mountain Climbers
Knees to elbows
Boat Pose
Rest 20 seconds & Repeat
Set 2: Perform 20 seconds each non stop.
Side Plank Isolated R (mod V CRUNCH)
Side Plank Isolated L (mod V CRUNCH)
Reverse Crunch
Oblique Figure 4 R
Oblique Figure 4 L
Toe Taps
Glute Bridge Iso hold
Star Crunch
Rest 20 and Repeat
Part 5: Stretch and Mobilize!
Gumsaba Outdoor Fitness Class schedule Tuesday 11/24/15:
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Womens Class – Coach Michelle – TRX Trendsetter
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Mens class – Coach Joel – TRX Trendsetter
6AM Sunup Lafayette Co-Ed class – Coach Jentry – TRX Trendsetter
9AM Sunshine Walnut Creek Womens class – Coach Michelle – TRX Trendsetter
11:00AM Cytosport Powert Training – Coach Briana (private class)
12:00PM Cytosport Power Yoga – Coach Jentry (private class)