Tis' The Season.

The holiday season is just around the corner and parties and celebrations are in full swing...with that comes drinking and eating and life getting pretty choatic.  The Christmas season is my favorite time of year.  There's nothing better than spending time with family and friends.  Let's be honest though, It can be pretty stressful...financial burdens, so little time so much to do and on top of that work keeps on keeping on and then exercising has to find its place sometime in the day as well.

I want to give you a few tips that have helped me be able to enjoy the holiday instead of constantly feeling overwhelmed by all the things packed into my schedule and the temptations I have and will be faced with.

1. Set holiday goals.  Do you want to get your Christmas shopping done by a certain time? Does your busy schedule make it hard to keep the fridge stocked and you need to make a point to keep meals on hand to just grab and go?  Do you need to plan out your schedule for your workouts before the week begins?  Do you find yourself saying yes and over booking your schedule to please others instead of saying no when you know you'll be jumping through hoops to make it actually work? Whatever your goals may be, write them down and give yourself a date you want to complete then by.  This will keep you on track and alleviate a lot of potential stresses.

2. It's not "if", it's "when".  Busy or not busy, that is always my attitude but I know for a lot of people that is not the case when it comes to exercise.  It tends to be the first activity to take a backseat when in reality it should be the one thing to keep you going through it all.  It's so important to take some time for yourself, alleviate some stress and keep those endorphins flowing.  Find a workout buddy and hit up some good classes to get you in and out in an hour.  There is always time for the things you make time for.

3. Eat as much real food as possible.  When you're at all your holiday parties and you're worried about putting on that winter weight, take the time to scan all the food.  Eat as much real food (real as in not processed) as you can and only a little of the unhealthy choices.  You're always safe with the protein and veggie and fruit trays.  Fill up the majority of your plate with those kind of choices and then pick a few of your favorite holiday dishes and treats.  Watching your alcohol consumption is always a plus too.

4. Enjoy your time.  Focus on the people and things that matter and push all the other stresses out of your life.  This really should be a rule of thumb all year long but especially during the holidays.  Sometimes we lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, it's important to keep yourself in check and know this time is about giving, family, friends and togetherness.

Less than two weeks before Christmas and I couldn't be more excited...set some goals get your workouts planned and just enjoy your holiday.

Stretching Should Be Your New Best Friend.

I know I have done a flexibility post before but it is just so important that I'm going to bring it again. This time I'm going to incorporate some props you can use to help deepen some basic stretches without needing a stretching buddy.

All you need is a towel, a belt or if you have a yoga strap laying around that would be ideal. Don't go out and buy anything special as it's easy to improvise and just use something lying around the house.  I am going to use a towel and show you some great stretches to increase flexibility.

The first stretch is your basic hamstring stretch.  Place the towel

around the ball of one foot. Laying on your back with the other leg straight out, pull up on the foot with the towel making your leg go perpendicular with your body. As you slowly pull your leg towards you remember to keep your other leg as straight as possible. The goal is to get your leg straight so if you need to release the leg down a little bit that is just fine. Push through the ball of your foot at the same time as you pulling forward and hold the stretch. Breathe through it and hold for at least fifteen second.

Place the towel in your right hand. Keep your other leg straight still and gently lower your straight leg down to the right side.  Your toes should be pointing up towards the ceiling and your opposite shoulder should be pushing down towards the ground to keep your back flat.  You will feel this stretch in your groin, inner thigh and possibly behind the knee and/or in your hip depending on your hip flexibility.

The last stretch in this position is similar to the last but on the other side of your body.  You will hold the towel in your left hand with the still on the ball of your right foot.  Keeping both

legs straight, gently lower your right leg across your body to towards the floor.  Keep your right shoulder pressed to the ground to give you a good lower back stretch.  To add some variety to this position, you can bend your knee to a 90 degree angle to deepen the stretch in the back.

The last stretch you will be on your stomach, the towel or strap will be placed across the toe of your right foot.  Bend your knee, bringing your heel to your glute.  To deepen the stretch, try to gently lift your knee with the towel off the ground. This stretch will be felt in primarily the quad muscle.

Stretching should be performed at least once a day. It doesn't take very long and the benefits over time are very significant to your health and ability to perform everyday activities.   Now get to work and as the snow starts to fall this winter, drive safely :)