The holiday season is upon us with times of gathering with family and friends... A time of thankfulness and celebration. Food of course is always traditionally part of celebrations. But what is the person to do who has switched to a Healthy Living Lifestyle? Not to worry! Just because you're converting to a healthier lifestyle doesn't mean you have to hide under the bed. By keeping a few things in mind during the holiday season you can enjoy a healthy cuisine of good foods and fellowship.

1. Don't think of food as "good or bad food". Everything the Creator made He said, "It is good". Basically, it is not the food but how we prepare it and how much of a good thing we eat.

2. Within moderation we should be able to enjoy the holidays ahead. Just as we are told in scriptures to be modest and well balanced in all that we do... food too should be well balanced and in moderation.

3. Don't ruin the holiday for yourself and your friends by getting on a guilt trip. Be realistic, eat in moderation, and plan ahead and go on and have fun.

4. When you are going to be eating out on a particular night, eat small low calorie meals during the day so that you can eat a bit more when you gather with friends later in the evening.

5. Drink water and take the edge off your hunger with a light snack before you leave for a social outing.

6. Focus attention on the people you are going to fellowship with, the conversation and the special time to relax with friends.

7. Before starting through the buffet line take time to have a hot beverage before making a beeline for the food.

8. Whether eating sit down fashion or at a food bar look carefully over the whole spread and make quality decisions about the choices of food, As difficult as it may be, it is really wise to fill your plate only one time or make only one trip through the buffet line. Look over the table or down the length of the food bar before you make your selections. Plan ahead and make wise choices.

9. Distant yourself from the d'oeuvre table. Select fruit, vegetables instead of high fat appetizers

 

10. Accept that the foods you choose are going to satisfy and fill you up. Eat slowly. Let each taste satisfy your craving. Think about what you are eating.  Appreciate it and be thankful for it.

 

 

Start by praying and committing your exercise time to the Lord. Tell Him you want to honor Him with your body. Ask Him for the strength and perseverance to make it through the workout. Set up a consistent time to care for your body. That may mean waking up 20 minutes earlier; however, you'll find you have much more energy throughout the day than if you used those 20 minutes to sleep. Work out in the morning. You're more likely to find excuses not to exercise as your day fills up with activities. Don't aim for perfection. If you miss a workout,  get up and start again.

 

Step  Liftoffs

Targets: Calves, glutes, and thighs. Improves balance and leg strength for a more powerful pushoff with each step.

 

Find a step. Stand sideways to step and place one foot on the steps and one foot down on the floor. Keeping chest lifted and abs taut for support, bend knees and lower into squat so legs are bent 45 to 90 degrees. Be sure to keep knees behind toes. Extend legs and stand, and lift lower leg out to side. To make it harder, add a jump: Squat as before, then quickly straighten legs and jump straight up. Land with knees bent to absorb the impact. Repeat for 1 minute per leg.

 

Bench Press

Targets: Chest, shoulders, and core for better torso tone and less upper body fatigue.

 

Stand facing the back of a park bench or a low wall. Place hands wider than shoulder-width apart on bench, and step backwards until arms are extended and youre balancing on balls of feet. Position feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Bend elbows and lower chest toward bench. Then push back up. When arms are almost fully extended, raise left arm straight out in front to complete move. Pause for a second. Lower left arm and repeat, this time raising right arm. Repeat for 1 minute.

 

Walking Lunges with Knee Lift

Targets: Glutes and thighs. Also stretches hips for a stronger, smoother stride.

 

On a level surface, stand with feet hip-width apart. Keeping chest lifted and abs taut, step forward with right foot, plant it on the ground, and bend both knees to lower into lunge position. Keep front knee in line with ankle. Then straighten knees and rise to standing, drawing left leg forward; pause with left knee lifted to hip level. Hold for a count of 3 before bringing left foot all the way forward for next lunge. Continue moving forward, with each step ending in lunge, for 1 to 2 minutes.

 

Standing Crossover

Targets: External obliques (the ab muscles that run diagonally down your sides).

 

Stand with feet a few inches apart. Bend arms and hold out to sides so they form right angles with hands pointing toward sky, palms facing forward. Contract abs and pull right knee and left elbow toward each other. Pause, and return to start. Repeat, alternating sides, for 1 minute.
 
To get your body ready to move, warm up for two to three minutes. This can be as simple as jumping rope, walking the stairs, or doing jumping jacks. Once your blood is pumping, you're ready to tackle a few exercises. Pick three to four  exercises and perform each one for 30-45 seconds; then work up to two to three sets. Try to exercise three days a week, allowing a day of rest in between. On your days off, go for a walk, ride a bike, or play outside with the kids.

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