More healthy wisdom from Tessonja:
With the drop in temperature, holiday feasts, and lack of proper motivation (such as swimsuit season) it can be hard to stay in shape through the winter. And if you’re a winter bride, looking amazing in your dress is high on your list of desires! I, for one, tend to exercise more frequently in the summer because I can jog, go on long walks, and ride bikes. I love active exercise! But it’s winter now which means cold weather and less daylight. Here are some fun tips I like to use, and hope that you can enjoy them too!
-Sign up for an indoor workout class! I can exercise longer without getting bored if my program is active and fun, so I signed up for Wushu at the Seattle Wushu Center (Wushu is Chinese Martial Arts) and it is an awesome exercise that constantly challenges and strengthens your mind, body, and flexibility. You can find tons of classes like this such as: Kung Fu, Kickboxing, Yoga, Tai Chi, or try a hip hop dance class.
-Get some workout videos! 8 minute abs is cheesy (muscley men in blue spandex…shudder!)but it’s a classic and it still works after all these years. My current favorite is “The Girls Next Door” workout dvd; this one is fun, fast, and feels great! On good days, i like to do all 3 workouts. Another fun one is Carmen Electra’s Striptease Workout. Also, Comcast has some awesome FREE workouts On Demand.
-Get some indoor exercise gear! I found a mini step-machine on sale at Target for $25 and it’s a decent substitute for an expensive elliptical machine. I’m also lucky enough to have been given a multi-exercise workout bench. Go get a few different hand weights and an exercise ball; you’ll learn a couple uses for these in Holly’s workout on “The Girl’s Next Door” workout dvd. Another favorite of mine is a mini trampoline; they are inexpensive and fun! If you don’t have/or want to get your own indoor workout gear, get a gym membership! And most gyms offer fun workout classes like kickboxing, aerobics, and hip hop dancing.
-Eat healthy! I know there are tons of tempting and delicious holiday feasts to attend, but you don’t have to over-do it! When it’s cold, I love to eat. But you don’t burn as many calories in the winter (unless you truly are keeping a steady exercise routine year-round…ha, who does that?!) so it’s important not to eat in excess. Try veggie broth! I had some when I was sick last year and when I realized it has only 5-15 calories per bowl, i decided to add it to my list of fridge necessities. It’s warm, light, and a good way to fill up when you aren’t content with just a salad. I also love to add fresh veggies and tofu to the broth before I boil it. Another tip: You don’t have to eat all your leftovers! And yes, you are allowed to leave your plate without polishing it clean! We’ve all grown up with the idea that we must finish all our food before we can leave the table/eat dessert but we’re adults now, right? Eat what you want, leave what you don’t. And if you want dessert, no one is going to stop you (although I reccomend falling in love with fruit for dessert or eating something low in fat and calories like sorbet or frozen yogurt.) And all those leftovers from your holiday meal? You DON’T have to eat them all! Yes, people are starving all over the world, but what good are you doing them by eating yourself sick? If you really want to help someone, donate food to a food drive, give a sack lunch of leftovers to the homeless guy you see every day on the way to work, and help yourself by releasing your over-eating habits and food guilt; I’m learning to get over this myself, so don’t worry, you’re not alone!
-Drink lots of water! You hear this all the time, but it’s ALWAYS true. Your body and mind feel good when you are properly hydrated and it helps your body eliminate waste. My tip is to find a certain time of day when you can schedule in 8 glasses of water. I work between 8am and 2pm on weekdays, so it’s easy to watch the clock and make sure I get a glass of water every hour, on the hour. That way, when I get home, I don’t have to worry about it so much!
Happy Holidays!!!
