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Nutrition and fitness news
from Coach Cathy
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| Holiday Stress Action Plan
Busy with work, busy with kids, busy shopping, busy with holidays - busy, busy, busy. No matter where you live, your age, or the number of people living in your household,& the holiday season can bring about a ton of S.T.R.E.S.S. The two stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol can work towards your advantage during sports competition or an emergency, but a rise in these hormones in your day to day duties can place undue harm to your health by increasing blood pressure, increasing inflammation and compromising your immunity. It can even bring about weight gain!
November and December activities can be a ton of fun, but for some, feelings of being over committed and not in of control of areas such as time, money or health can bring about a mixture of negative emotional energy and pure exhaustion. Make this year the one where you maintain personal responsibility for aligning your chosen activities with what you consider most valuable in your life. Incorporating the following two strategies can get you started. |
 Just Breathe
A favorite mantra of my best friend Amy, these two words can be softly repeated over and over while practicing a deepened inhalation followed by an extended exhalation, giving you instant relief from stress hormones. Oxygenate your muscles and your mind through deep, mindful breathing by focusing inward which can help produce stress relieving endorphins, the antagonists of stress hormones. Empty your thoughts and experience peacefulness. When those inner dialogue voices sneak back in, acknowledge them, then excuse them. Keep your attention on the concept of conscious contact with your body. With practice, you'll find that transcending your haphazard thoughts is just as natural as wiping the sweat from your brow. |
 Prioritize and Plan
Make this year's holiday season be your most enjoyable one yet. Begin by envisioning how you want to experience it. Having high energy? Robust health? Calm and balanced? Positive and optimistic? Fully engaged and satisfied? Now do what YOU KNOW YOU NEED to do in order to experience these feelings. Perhaps you will choose to put up just a few decorations this year instead of the whole attic. Maybe you'll arrange an afternoon gathering of just your closest friends instead of going to several grand scale overindulging-type events with the mind set of "the need to be seen". How would it be to involve the entire household in meal planning and assign someone other than yourself as the grocery shopper or consider ordering online? Perhaps you could enlist friends or neighbors to assist in transporting children to the same activities their children are involved in and offer to trade the job next month? How would setting a limit on spending and sticking to it feel? If family personalities trigger your nerves would you consider an alternate means of spending time by volunteering to work on a project together such as helping someone who is less fortunate in talents or resources? Finally, how would booking your gym time into your schedule just like a regular appointment make you feel? You see, we all know what to do, its just that many of us need the extra push to follow through with it. By planning now, keeping your values and vision in mind, you can achieve success and give yourself a gift of the holiday season. |
 Harvest Bran Muffins
Here's a quick breakfast or afternoon snack loaded with good nutrition and at just over 150 calories, good for your waistline too! Preheat over to 400 degrees. Coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare a 14 ounce oat bran muffin mix according to package directions and fold in 1/3 cup finely shredded carrots, 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup chopped dried apples. Divide evenly into muffin cups and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts. Bake 15-18 minutes. Nutrition Facts: 161 calories, 28 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 2 grams fiber.
For more healthful holiday recipes and cooking suggestions, check out this great resource:
www.caloriecontrol.com
Happy Thanksgiving ~ Blessings to you all |
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