Healthy Holiday Survival tip #18 Head's You win!

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #18
How to keep that focus in a very busy time of the year?

Read something about healthy living every day to keep your goal in the front of your thinking all day
This blog is one way: palmettofitnessfocus blog
if you haven't already, sign up for the weekly Palmetto Fitness Focus newsletter which is different than this blog- although the empahsis is still finding motivation to live a healthy life.
It contains an article, a recipe or nutritional thought and a hands-on project related to the article.
it's short and sweet- won't take 2 minutes to read but I think you would find it uplifting.

Holiday Survival tip #14 Thanks-living

Holiday Survival tip #14
Consider this the season of ThanksLIVING-
There are so many things in our lives that we take for granted. So this week- Open your eyes and your heart- live in a spirit of gratitude...
Make a list of what you are grateful for and review it often. You've be surprised how much happier you find you are.

btw- thank you for following me in this blog
I hope it lifts you up and keeps you motviated to live a healthy life.

I'm Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am one grateful woman!!

God has been good to me

I’m thankful for:

1. My family. This year my daughter and SIL drove 1200 miles to be here for Thanksgivingfor a week. What a blessing! The other daughter calls every week to have lunch- what another blessing that is.

2. My health. While I have Rh Arthritis, it is well controlled and for the most part does not control my life. but though this God has allowed me to have empathy for those with systemic illness.

3. My Clients- I have wonderful people who allow me into their lives and we work together to get healthier and stronger. I love what I do and I love who I do it with.

4. My friends, and their love and support. I have a renewed appreciation for the friends I've developed who build me up and turn me loose to bless others.

5. My readers. I love when I get comments /emails. truthfully, I’m just glad that someone reads what I write

6. My relationship with God. Knowing God's presence and forgivevness allows me to live securely and loved from the inside out.

Thanksgiving is the day to reflect on the good things in your life.

What are you thankful for?

Healthy Holiday Survival Tip #13-

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #13-
Holiday meal choices: white turkey leaner than dark or hams.
Most gravys are flour and fat, so avoid or at least minimize sauces.

Healthy Holiday Tip #12

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #12
Invest in ziplocks/ disposable containers-
That way you can be you can be generous giving away Thanksgiving leftovers
And you can get back on track nutritionally

Healthy Holiday Tip #11

Healthy Holiday Survival tip #11-
Reduce stress by doing your holiday gift shopping online.
For distance friends/ have gift box sent directly to them no postoffice!
Almost everyone appreciates gift cards.

Thanks-Living Newsletter

Palmetto Fitness Focus Newsletter on Thanks -Living
Click here for full newsletter
http://tinyurl.com/5wabbm

Healthy Holiday Tips #10

#10
Meet your own needs first!

1. Keep Stress at bay by getting your share of sleep each night
2. Eat the right foods
3. Keep exercising.

As you make health a priority, you will be able to deal with stress of added expectations/ responsibilites that come this time of year.

__________________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tips #9

#9
Identify the obstacles that pop up during the holidays

• The family events,
• the gifts of food,
• the parties,
• the big food events

We will look at each of these specifically over the coming weeks but right now start thinking

• which area do you regularly struggle with
• identify how you can best deal with this obstacle.
• Do you need help or support to get through any of these?

_____________________________________________________________

Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tips #8

#8
Buying a prebasted bird or using a gourmet recipe may cost you more than you realize
and I'm not talking about the premium price at the grocery.
Turkey is a naturally lean protein source, you don't need butter and fat to make it taste great and stay moist

Rather than a prebasted or butterbasted bird, Baste or inject your own turkey with chicken or vegetable broth, wine, apple juice- etc

Put spices, and an apple, celery, garlic and raisins and onion in the cavity and neck to add amazing flavor to the broth.

I'll share my mother's wonderful mix if you request it.
____________________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Thanks-LIVING

Thanksgiving is my hands-down favorite holiday.

You might think it because I am distantly related to William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth Colony, that I love turkey, or because I look especially good in ORANGE (especially Clemson orange).

I love Thanksgiving because it calls us to develop an attitude of GRATITUDE and it calls us to gather family together.

Thanksgiving was about gratitude when the Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony stopped and looked up, thanking God for LIFE,what precious few actually survived the year.
It was about HOPE, and a belief that together we are better than we are individually.

Despite all efforts by Secular-humanists to water it down in our schools and history books by suggesting that the pilgrims were instead thanking the Indians, it has stayed true to it's theme, no mass marketing for profit. It is the one holiday that families seems to make the effort to get together and connect.

If there is a threat to the spirit of Thanksgiving, it would be how we have turned the gratitude into an excuse for self-indulgence. If we truly are thankful for Life, for faith and for family we should make Thanksgiving not as a single day but a lifestyle of THANKS-LIVING.

You can celebrate the LIFE you've been given by doing things that prolong and empower life: Things like filling it with foods that fuel the body rather than destroy it and doing exercise.

Thanksgiving officially launches the "Holiday Season" -Start now thanking God for your life by LIVING as if your body was important to you and is a gift from God.

Happy Thanks-LIVING!

If you need a Health Coach to get through the holiday season and establish a healthy new year, I'd consider it a privilege to work with you toward your goal. If you live In and around Columbia, SC, I work through Health Coach studio in the Forest Acres area. If that is inconvenient, I also do E-Coaching. Email me at palmettofitness@Yahoo.com

Just DO IT ALREADY! A hands on learning activity
Your assignment:
Say Thank You to at least 5 people each day for a week
Make a list of people to thank: Parents, kids, extended family, pastor, teachers, friends, coaches/mentors, trainer, clients, coworkers, postman, hair stylist, service men and women...

Healthy Holiday Tip #7

#7 I love the 12 days of Christmas, don't you?
So let's encorporate that as a fun way to add exercise
Do a 12 days of Christmas w/ various exercises
On the first day of Christmas my true love asked of me:
1 pushup,
2lunges,
3 jumps,
4 kicks
5 squats,
6 rows,
7 bicycles,
8 Tricep extensions,
9 bicep curls,
10 jumping jacks
11 burpees
12 shoulder rolls
Feel free to rearrange or substitute your favorite exercises!
Let me know if this is fun for you!
_____________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #6

#6
Tired of going to event s where there are no good choices?
Volunteer to be a part of the planning or hosting the event.
That will ensure you have SOME healthy food along with family favorites


_____________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #5

#5 Disquise Exercise as Shopping!

Shop in sneakers and take a lap around the mall or main street before or after you shop-
A word to the wise!
Eat before you go and avoid walking past the food court at all costs!

_____________________________________________________________
Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tips# 4

#4
Holidays are memorable because of traditional family favorites
Some are healthier than others

Take this time to review family favorite recipes- seek ways to adapt them to lower fat or sugar,
Can you introduce new recipes to become the NEW tradition?
If you rotate one recipe out and one recipe in each year, you'll ultimately enjoy healthier family functions and more of them as you lower the probablility of heart issues and disease in your family.


Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #3

#3 Balance Your High Calorie Events

For every party and high calorie event, PLAN to have 2-3 workouts of 30-34 minutes to counteract the calorie impact

Use the calendar from Tip#2 as well as your daytimer or blackberry to SCHEDULE workouts
Make it in INK, it is as an appt with yourself at the gym- as important as any Dr appt


Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Tip #2

#2- Look ahead:
Know where the calorie pot-holes are and plan around them.
Get a calendar (many are available on line or the dollar store)
Mark all social events until Jan 2- church, business and neighborhood Christmas parties, cookie swaps, family functions, birthdays that fall in December, Theater productions, parades, Christmas productions, anything where food is involved.

Now that you know from where the calories are coming to get you- establish a plan for EACH event- how will you deal with the situation in order to minimize the impact and be victorious relative to your goals of either losing, maintaining or adding a few pounds.


Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Healthy Holiday Survival Skills #1

#1
Be Clear About Your Goal-
Will you settle for gaining 5 pounds?
Are you only wanting to hold our present weight
or are you trying to lose weight during the holidays?

Your answer to that question will determine your strategy for the next 6 weeks

If you are actively trying to lose weight, you will have to be extra vigilant about your workout and your eating plan.

If you know you have 10+ events, you need to continue the process of making wise choices in the midst of less than perfect options before you., but accept a realistic expectation that you will gain some weight in the process just due to the shear volume of events.

Request my Healthy Holiday tip sheet - either email me or leave your email in a comment and I will send it to you.

You can also sign up for RSS feed of this blog so you won't miss the Healthy Holiday tips given.

Archived copies of my previously released newsletters are available at:http://community.icontact.com/p/palmettofitnessfocus2/newsletters/newsletters

Health Coach Open House

My personal Invitation to those living in the midlands of SC:
You would honor me greatly if you would join me at the open house.
Kathleen




A T A S T E OF H E A L T H

O P E N H O U S E

We invite you and your friends to celebrate our one year
anniversary with good wine and healthy food.

When: Thursday, November 13th from 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Where: 10 Calendar Court, Suite 101
Bring: Your friends and family
RSVP by November 10 to palmettofitness@yahoo.com

RAFFLE • GIFTS • GREAT FOOD and….
Discounted Personal Training and Nutrition Coaching during this event!

Be our guest for dinner:
Lasagna: whole grain pasta layered with fresh veggies, free range beef
and low fat cheeses.
Broccoli and Red Grape Salad: organic broccoli florets, red grapes,
walnuts and our creamy heirloom dressing.
Whole Grain Artisan Bread: organic wheat and oat flours with a touch of
molasses. Served with a variety of healthy spreads.
Chocolate Mocha Cake: a low fat version of a high fat decadent cake
with mocha cream cheese icing.

Retreats are tough

I just got back from a wonderful weekend with several friends attending a Christian Conference called "Women of Faith" From a faith perspective it was a home run! From a healthy living perspective... well, a struggle.

I meant well. Just like I tell you to, I planned it out. I had my little pink insulated bag with oatmeal bran muffins, grapes, triscits, apple, fig newtons & water.

Started well: driving up, I passed on the cookies everyone brought to share. For dinner had grilled chicken, dry baked potato and brocolli, although I'll confess the portions might have been too big. Strike one... I ate that ginormous cookie the hotel gives you at check in. I may have to send an email suggestion to the hotel: please do not to hand free hot cookies to hungry women just before dinner. So technically, I was only partially to blame??? you're right, I shouldn't have taken possession
Breakfast I did eat my little muffins, ok...plus one piece of Betty's special poppyseed bread, only minor infraction, but, as you can tell, the slippery slope had begun.

Lunch was at the coliseum, the box lunch prepared by the event organizers- I think I may send another email suggestion to those women who organize box lunches for 13,000 women: What were you thinking, Ladies????: I about freaked when I opened it! (mayonnaise based) chicken salad on white roll, full fat potato chips, and orange and a cookie?? About all I can say for myself is that I did forgo the chips completely and was certainly glad I had my grapes and muffins with me. I thought about what other options were at the concession stand, and seeing hamburgers, fries and pizza, thought perhaps the chicken salad and orange may still be the best of the options available to me. Even so, the calories still count full value.

I will give myself extra credit that for the rest of the day I did NOT indulge the popcorn, ice cream, french fries, etc etc etc that were all around me. My little bag of goodies got me out the door with some reasonable sense of accomplishment.

But by then I was hungry, and hungry people are vulnerable people

We ate at Panera, I did order a salad and I did use half the dressing.
but I was not satisfied and when the group opened up the cookies on the way home:trouble!

I was having one of those out of body experiences- It's like you are watching tv, you see yourself eating cookies while another part of you says :No! No!! don't do it!! --- too late.

So when I counsel people here's what I tell them

• Plan in advance how you are going to be successful in the situation
• Don't let yourself get hungry
• Make as good a decision as possible in situations where best is not available.
• Expect every now and then to fall off the wagon but get back on ASAP.

As you can see, I do understand what you are going through as you struggle to make those principles work for you.
Sometimes you have good choices,
sometimes you have better choices,
sometimes you have best choices.
Sometimes you have no choices, the success plan is playing makeup for a couple days afterward.

Like I said, Retreats are tough.