Concord, CA - Imagine going into Thanksgiving season all the way into the New Year and not worrying about how you’re going to stop your waist line from expanding. The holiday season is one of the best times to spend some quality time with family and friends but, historically, it also has the reputation to increase the average American’s weight by a whopping 10 pounds! So, the big question is, how can we not live like a monk this holiday season and still stay on track with our health and fitness and/or prevent our waist line from expanding?
Here are some tips to enjoy your holiday celebrations and delicious food without the guilt:

Life Changing Tip #1: Think Differently

Any goal is achieved successfully by changing the way we think first. One way to think about this is there are only a few days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day where we actually have to go off of our nutrition plan taking into account other holiday parties and celebrations with friends. But, what usually happens is we easily get caught up in the holiday nostalgia that with the first sight of holiday food or specialty cocktail drinks, our will and motivation are the very first things to go out the window. Anna Dornier, founder of Transform FX Fitness Bootcamp in Concord, suggests, “The best way to think this holiday season is this: there are 40 total days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day. Let’s say we go to 5 holiday parties including the major holidays. That leaves 35 days we can stay on track with our nutrition choices leaving us with more chances of success. The problem lies when we keep overeating on holiday food during the other days or give in to those cookies our co-worker brought in to work. The calories easily add up so it helps so be aware of every morsel of food that goes into your mouth!”

Life Changing Tip #2: Fast

No, I’m not talking about Usain Bolt fast. I’m talking about fasting. Intermittent or short-term fasting is now more popular than ever and for good reason. Going without food for a period of 12-24 hours 1-2 times a week effectively lowers our weekly calorie and carbohydrate intake without triggering the so-called starvation mode which is a complete myth perpetuated by food companies and the weight loss industry to encourage us to eat more food, more often. “Fasting also makes caloric restriction simpler because we don’t have to worry about too many diet rules,” said Dornier.

Many research studies such as those done by the Unites States Army Institute of Environmental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada found many benefits to fasting for short periods of time. Besides weight loss and fat loss, fasting has been found to have positive effects on lifespan, disease and aging in research using animals (mostly mice). However, recent research conducted by the National Institute on Aging has started to uncover that some of these health and longevity benefits occur in primates like monkeys, leading to speculation

that fasting may have some similar benefits in humans. What is even more remarkable is that fasting has been shown to decrease many markers of risk of coronary artery disease, leading researchers to speculate that a lifestyle that includes short periods of fasting may decrease the risk of heart disease.

Life Changing Tip #3: Strength Training

Did you know that slow metabolism caused by aging can be prevented by increasing lean muscle mass? Many adults seem to think that having slow metabolism as we age is inevitable as we age but this could not be further from the truth. “From personal experience and my experience working with clients, young or old, increased muscle mass through consistent strength training workout sessions successfully increases metabolism therefore increasing our fat burning capacity over time, “ says Dornier.

Be cautious because most people could be disappointed with the lack of weight loss when they first start out a strength training routine but what they may not know is they are building muscle which is active tissue that burns calories. Muscle weighs more than fat but it occupies less space so people who lift weights mostly see a decrease in inches and feel their clothing fit loser compared to seeing a loss on the scale. In this case, to properly assess progress, people must also look at their body fat percentage loss as well as inches lost based on girth measurements. If we’re consistent with our strength training routine even throughout the holidays, we can easily see that we not only lose fat and battle the weight gain that occurs during the holidays but we would also be relieving stress from the hustle and bustle that also comes during this time.

The holiday season is a time to celebrate not a time to dread weight gain and waist line expansion. Follow these simple, life changing steps and you can be sure to maintain your results for life and truly develop a healthy lifestyle that will not overwhelm your already busy life.

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EDITOR NOTES: Anna Dornier is available for candid and informative interviews on bootcamp training, health and fitness. She can be reached directly at 925-289-8042. Please contact Transform FX Fitness, 925-289-8042

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FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Anna Dornier, Owner/Founder, Transform FX Fitness
Direct Phone: 925-289-8042
Email: anna@transformfxfitness.com