Four healthy 'F' words to keep you in shape

In less than three weeks we, the people, will vote for a new president. The political pundits and our Facebook friends argue over which candidate will make the biggest impact and which issues matter most. While our country is very divided between the issues and the two presidential candidates, you can vote today on the only guaranteed winner: You. The obesity rate in the United States continues to rise year over year, consequently increasing healthcare prices and, as we encroach on the holidays, you may be in for another weight increase if you’re not careful. How do you combat that, so your New Year’s Resolutions don’t get out of reach and neither do your medical costs? Focus on a few “F” words through the holidays to help you forego the fat to find you best physique.

Food: This is probably the main area where people need adjustments with their fitness routine. There are so many food options out there that claim to be healthy, but are really just healthier than more calorically dense options. For instance, many salads at restaurants are soaked in high calorie salad dressing, sprinkled with bacon or tossed with “crispy” (aka fried) chicken. Some of these salads can rival the caloric offerings of hamburgers! Ditch the bacon, opt for grilled chicken and get the dressing on the side. By ordering dressing on the side, you can determine how little to put on your salad and save yourself hundreds of calories. You’re sure to encounter many calorie rich foods at your holiday parties and friends’ houses over the holidays, so prepare yourself by drinking a lot of water before you arrive and opt for fruits and vegetables at the party. It takes many more vegetables to fill you up, with a lower caloric impact, than it does with pigs in a blanket and holiday cookies. You can achieve the same full feeling without the full caloric intake. We offer complimentary health assessments to review your caloric intake, intake times and eating habits to anyone interested.

Fitness: Another major component to reaching your health goals is getting your heartrate up for extended period of time. Don’t count on Halloween pranks to get your heartrate up for long enough to help you reach your goals! We’re getting into a beautiful time of year in Florida to exercise outside (or find a gym that has roll up doors to let the beautiful weather in, like Anytime Fitness, Winter Park!). Find 60 minutes a day for 3-5 days a week to get your heartrate up and push yourself physically. With 168 hours in a week we should be able to set aside 3-5 for our physical wellbeing. Not only will this help you fight off fat, it also has a physiological effect that makes you feel better, more focused and more motivated. So goes the old saying, “Objects in motion, stay in motion.” You’ll feel more engaged and more motivated to get out and keep moving. You may even find that 3-5 hours of exercise isn’t enough once you get going! Need a push? Take us up on two complimentary personal training sessions to help you get started.

Family and Friends: We know that we’ll be surrounded by friends and family over the holidays and they can be a great asset to helping you achieve your goals. Just like all of our friends are posting about their political preference on Facebook, post about your health preferences on Facebook. Reach out to your social network for affirmation and support. This way your family and friends know that you’re opting for a healthier lifestyle throughout the holidays and support you through it. Oh, and hold you accountable! You may even find that some of your family and friends want to join in your journey toward a healthier lifestyle throughout the holidays. Need family and friends to help you? We can’t help you with that, but we do have a great network of support at Anytime Fitness, Winter Park!

So regardless of who you vote for three weeks from now, vote for yourself today and going forward to make a difference in your life and your family’s life. It can make a great difference in your healthcare costs and, believe it or not, in our country.

PATRICK MCGAHA, JR., Member Experience Manager at Anytime Fitness, Winter Park, is dedicated to building a welcoming environment in the club, conducive to helping members and clients reach their health fitness goals. To get your fitness and nutrition related questions answered by a certified personal trainer, or for a free personal training session, call us at (321) 972-5833 or email [email protected].