Tag Archives: eating

3 Elite Trainers’ Advice for the Holidays

Give

It’s the holiday season and sharing is caring, right? Today, I’m hosting three awesome trainers on WellnessWinz. They are doing us the courtesy of sharing their go-to tips for the season (which we all know can be a challenge to juggle…both in terms of shopping and decorating agendas and figuring out how to approach the holiday buffet spread). Enjoy these three pros; they’re keepers.


Allison Blake 1

Alison Blake is a NASM Personal Trainer and an Arbonne International Independent Consultant. Alison has trained for bikini competitions and recently got married! One of her group exercise classes is a favorite of mine – she knows how to work the glutes, let me tell ya!

Alison’s Advice: Give to Yourself

“During the holiday season we spend a lot of our time with family and friends. We get to see relatives that may only come around a few times per year. Many of us travel to stay with relatives or host them for days at a time. Many great memories are shared, but it leaves us with very little alone time.

Waking up an hour early, maybe even before the others are awake, and using that time for exercising, stretching, meditation or prayer can make a big difference around the holidays. We can re-charge our batteries and give something good to ourselves, since most of the day will be spent giving to others.

By beginning the day with a healthy mindset, we help ourselves make healthy choices throughout the day (like resisting the urge for the second helping of mashed potatoes or pie). One example is to go for a walk or a run. If the weather keeps you indoors, try push-ups, squats, lunges and planks. The bit of effort that exercise takes can give us a greater appreciation for the moments we share with others. ‘Tis the season of giving,’ but we cannot forget to also give to ourselves.”


 

Kevin deadlift

Kevin Mullins is back, folks! Last year, Kevin was a guest on WellnessWinz, writing the very popular article: Men’s Health Next Top Trainer Weighs in on Women. Kevin offers fantastic content for fitness enthusiasts via his blog: Kevin Mullins Fitness. Oh yea, did I mention that Women’s Health recently named him one of America’s 10 Hottest Trainers? Get it, Kevin!

Kevin’s Advice: Choose What Matters

“During the holiday season our social calendars can burst at the seams with calorie-bombing events. Weekends become full of holiday parties, happy hours, and dinners and drinks with family and friends. This time of the year is beautiful for its ability to draw us closer to those we love, and for that reason, I often coach my clients to relax and enjoy the holiday spirit. This does not mean exerting a blatant disregard for their training and nutrition habits. I often ask my clients to point to the one or two holiday activities that mean the world to them and tell them to enjoy. Even I look forward to a couple good whiskeys with my father every Thanksgiving, and a few stocking-stuffer candies on Christmas. These are my ‘gives.’

For everything else, we should put it through the test: Is it worth setting us back from our goals? Is there a way to do it without going overboard? Can I train that day to help offset the calorie loads?

Overall, I recommend working out over the holidays and eating most meals as you normally would. You’ll be better prepared to say ‘no’ to deserts, another round of drinks, or a late evening with friends when you keep your habits consistent.

For the indulgences, choose what matters most to you and enjoy, but be sure to pick what actually matters. Don’t just say ‘yes’ to everything!”


 

Jessica B 1

Jessica is a former collegiate swimmer who knows a thing or two about hard effort in the pool – and the gym! Jessica is a Certified Personal Trainer who lives in Utah and enjoys a spectrum of outdoor activities (her Instagram pictures make this city girl very jealous). Also, Jessica recently started a blog: JBrauzFit.com where she offers lots of creative workouts and tips, especially for strength training. Fun fact: Her cat is named Pinot Noir. Yes, a trainer with a cat named after wine.

Jessica’s Advice: Hydrate – Move – Relax!

“As the holidays are approaching, many people are busy doing last minute shopping, decorating and tidying up before their loved ones come over for all of the festivities…But what are these people doing to prepare for their health?

Some people may be freaking out, cursing left and right, ‘ah, hell. I haven’t been eating well this past week so I might as well just let it go for the holiday parties too…’ It doesn’t have to be this way if you plan ahead. Proper planning will keep you from feeling out of control towards the year’s end.
Here are some tips that I have found helpful during the holiday season:

1-Drink water! I know, I know. We all want to indulge in some amazing holiday cocktails (and I do too!) but it won’t hurt to have a glass of water for every cocktail/wine you consume. Plus, your head will thank you the next morning. Quick tip: Stick with wine or light beers if you’re concerned about calories. These beverages won’t have as many as specialty cocktails and heavy brews.

2- Work it out with a 20-30 minute workout in the a.m.! I like to do more metabolic resistance-type training during the holiday season; combining strength and heart rate boosting to torch fat!;) Here is a MRT workout to try:

Barbell pyramid complex:
-Do the following reps for each exercise: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. (ladies be mindful and start with the barbell if you have never done this before, or complete it with dumbbells)
-Exercises: Deadlifts, Bent Over Row, Front Squat, Military Press, Reverse Lunge
-For added intensity, complete burpees over the bar in between each set!

3- Don’t deprive yourself. If Grandma just made some amazing Christmas cookies, or your mom made her favorite peanut butter balls, enjoy and have a couple of bites! You don’t need to stuff yourself silly, but sampling at parties is just fine. Enjoy the holiday! Laugh with family and friends and don’t stress too hard if you slip up. It will be okay!”


 

HUGE thanks to Alison, Kevin and Jessica for taking the time to share their professional advice with WellnessWinz readers! You guys are awesome.
Yours in health and wellness,
Maggie
wellnesswinz blue sea

Millennials; An Unhealthy Generation?

The Millennial generation is more likely than their older peers to exercise. So, why is it that this generation is also more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors? Here’s the inside scoop…
Millennials 2 Please do forgive me for my use of this image…I came across it and thought it was so wildly inappropriate and hilarious that I had to use it. Like….REALLY?!

According to Media Post, “Millennials and Gen Xers are more likely than Boomers and Matures to engage in unhealthy behaviors like unhealthy eating, drinking alcohol, and smoking to manage stress.” Also, when Millennials were polled on their perceived levels of stress, they reported an average ranking of 5.4 on a scale that considers a ranking of 3-4 to be healthy.

Possible Roots of the Millennials’ Stress:

Overeducated and Underutilized. 

This generation is often highly educated but may be underutilized or underemployed in the workplace, leading to lower feelings of professional accomplishment. The Millennials have suffered greatly since the 2008 American recession, with fewer opportunities for job promotions and transitions. Although they are gradually getting more established in their careers, there is little doubt that this dreamy, optimistic generation has suffered some major setbacks, challenging their personal feelings of competence and purpose.

“A.S.A.T.” 

MediaPost says this acronym means “always social, all the time.” Fair enough. Millennials check their smartphones 43 times a day! There is a newfound need for constant feedback and validation, which can be captured via social media interactions. Yet, in spite of constantly tuning into their peers and world happenings, Millennials seem dissatisfied. They place a higher value on in-person interactions. Thus, it has become a priority for some of them to focus on disconnecting (digitally) from time-to-time so that they can focus on quality, real connections.

Millennials 1It’s Natural. 

According to WebMD’s “Happiness Quiz,” younger people are typically less satisfied than older generations. One of WebMD’s quiz questions is about which age group is most happy. News Flash: I guessed it wrong. Apparently, it’s people over the age of 50 who are happiest! WebMD writes “A recent survey of more than 340,000 people showed overall feelings of well-being improve as people pass middle age. Negative emotions such as stress and anger decline after the early 20s, and people over 50 worry less than younger folks. Researchers say it may be as simple as this: With age comes increased wisdom and emotional intelligence.” Wait, you’re saying my sporatic emotional breakdowns are par for the course?! Hooray! 😉 

How Can Millennials Get Happier and Healthier?

Apparently, the following stress management techniques help this generation:

  • Exercising
  • Listening to Music
  • Spending Time with Friends
  • Eating (Hopefully not stress eating!)
  • Shopping

Millennials 3

So, ignore the social media apps on your smartphone and, instead, load up some new tunes into a playlist. Enjoy your music while you go on a jog or walk en route to meet a friend for a nice meal or a little shopping. All the birds with one stone. Perfect!! 😉

Yours in health and wellness,

Maggie wellnesswinz blue sea