The hectic holiday guide to keeping your health goals through the silly season

Fitting fitness in is difficult at any time of the year. I’m a personal trainer, I teach group fitness classes, and I love working out. But still, I literally have to add my fitness plans to my weekly calendar, make certain that someone is around to watch the kids, and be ready to adjust if a work emergency pops up (and let’s be honest: those emergencies seem to manifest once a day). Add in holiday parties, end-of-year work deadlines, family visits, and travel, and it feels nearly impossible to make…

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Foods to combat holiday stress

From travel plans to last-minute shopping, the end of year brings a busy calendar that can lead to stress in the kitchen and beyond. If you’re trying to eat a balanced diet, extra activities coupled with an abundance of holiday sweets can make it seem impossible to keep up with your healthful habits. While there is definitely room to enjoy your holiday favorites in moderation, be sure to stock your kitchen with these time-saving foods for some seasonal stress relief. Citrus Fruits: It might seem like the only trees of…

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How to Fit in Some Fitness Amid The Holiday Hustle

The holidays – high on social and food festivities and low on work and working out – are soon upon us. But my wish, as a fitness trainer and general wellness enthusiast, is for you to exercise not less but, if anything, more, because you probably will consume greater-than-usual amounts of fat and sugar – great fuel for physical exertion. You might say: I will be out of my element, visiting family where there are no sidewalks and where I can’t go to my favorite class or run with my…

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Break the holiday cycle

Break the holiday cycle Why do so many people find it hard to stick to healthy eating during the holiday season? To put it simply, you get trapped in the ‘Holiday Cycle’. Late Nights The Holiday Cycle for unhealthy eating starts off with late nights. Parties, weddings and hosting relatives can lead to sleeping way later than you usually do, making you wake up way later than you usually do. Which then leads to… Reduced Exercise Your schedule changes when you are waking up late. You end up having much…

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Take a holiday, boost your immunity

Take a holiday, boost your immunity (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Altering Living Space Makes White Blood Cells Better Prepared To Fight Infections. Going on a two-week holiday could boost our immune system and help fight infection, suggest scientists, who found that alterations to living space of mice dramatically changed their white blood cells and made them more prone to having a protective inflammatory effect. The research at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) provides the first evidence that an enriched environment influences the function of T-cells -a type of white blood…

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Take a real break this holiday season

As the holiday season approaches, people are busy with shopping, travel plans, etc. As compared to earlier, Christmas and New Year are now celebrated with gusto. Aside from the commercial angle, the brightly decorated malls with Christmas trees and bright lights spread cheer and goodwill around. With all the happy buzz – the carnivals, good weather, and more – the holiday season draws us in to the hullabaloo. It’s a great reminder of the spirit of togetherness and brings forth the need to connect with our loved ones who give…

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