At The Palace Coral Gables, the award-winning senior living community, personal trainer Julian Hevia works with seniors to help keep them flexible and fit into their golden years. He offers these tips for holiday fitness, good eating and health during the holiday season.
“This holiday season it’s easy to indulge and forget about our fitness and wellness goals,” Hevia said. “We’re all so busy celebrating our respective holidays that we tend to put our health on the back burner and put off our health into the next year. Since we’re right in the middle of the eating and drinking season, here are some tips to keep you healthy and motivated this holiday season.”
1. Don’t stop, keep on moving. — Don’t let your exercise routine take a tumble. Make sure you maintain your regular exercise schedule throughout the holidays, because having to start after stopping is never easy. It also will offset some of the increased caloric intake we tend to take in during the coming weeks.
2. Make smart choices at the table. — We all love mashed potatoes, gravy, mac and cheese, and honey glazed brown sugar ham. However, when faced with all the options, try and load up on veggies as well as foods that are high in protein. These will fill you up and leave less room for the fatty foods that leave us full of regret.
3. Drink responsibly. — And by responsibly, I mean the types of alcoholic drinks that don’t bloat you up. Personally, I enjoy vodka with soda water and a lime, a drink containing under 100 calories. Another option is champagne, containing an average of 80 calories per serving. Don’t drink to get drunk. You can still enjoy yourself without overindulging in alcohol.
4. Drink Water. — I say this all the time and can’t stress it enough, but drink water. Besides keeping you feeling full and hydrated, drinking water keeps your metabolism moving. This is a no-brainer and not nearly enough people follow it. Drink water.
5. Focus on what you CAN do instead of on what you can’t. — I hear so many people tell me on a daily basis that they can’t make it to the gym because they’re so busy with paperwork, or chores, or other activities going on in the building. Just about anyone can find a half hour in the day to do some sort of simple exercise. Focus on what is available to you and get out there and go for it.
6. Let go of perfect. — Nothing in our lives is perfect; work, school, home. We can’t expect our exercise routines to be perfect either. Everyone, and I mean everyone, misses a workout; it’s inevitable. Don’t dwell on the workouts you miss, instead, focus on getting the next one done.
Julian Hevia is a Wellness Associate and a certified personal trainer. He has worked with the residents at The Palace since the community opened in 2013.
