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 By: Jeff Behar
If you find it very difficult to eat healthy during the holidays, and make time to stay in shape, you are not alone. Most people find it hard to resist the holiday cookies, fresh pumpkin pie, creamy mashed potatoes, the homemade gravies and the creamy eggnog fortified with good old Captain Morgan (I-there mate-eey!). Compounding the problem is the many invites and holiday tasks, which compete with the time you would normally spend on yourself, like being in the gym. During the holidays the temptations to break the diet and skip the gym seem to be everywhere; at home and at the office. Common Pitfalls Include:
If the mere site of these tempting delectable high fattening morsels don't do you in, then you are like many others; the peer pressure wins you over. It is understandable how many people do not want to be the odd man out at a party or offend a host by not eating Grandma's special secret gravy recipe.   Click To Enlarge.Jeff Knows How To Resist Holiday Temptations! It is also certainly understandable that you do not want to offend a host or embarrass a date or spouse by bringing an 8 quart Tupperware Bowl of chicken, broccoli and cauliflower to the event and subsequently "light up the room brighter then the multicolored lights hanging from the house trim". We all know that managing your food intake can be hard year round, and is even harder for the reasons just mentioned. There are even more "evil forces" at work as well, such as holiday stress and emotions, which can also cause many strong people to seek comfort in high calorie and high fat foods. Statistics show that the holidays are known to be a cause of high stress and can trigger depression for many people. When the holidays roll around depression and stress are often the byproducts of high expectations we carry around with us. The holidays bring out the blues in many people, especially those who've recently lost a loved one or who are separated from their children or friends. It also brings on the blues by the stresses of spending too much money on gifts and trying to meet all the demands and complete all the tasks we've added to our schedules because of the holidays. All of these stresses can in turn elevate certain hormonal levels, like cortisol, which can actually drive many people to seek comfort in high glycemic carbohydrates and high fattening comfort foods. I will discuss later ways to manage stress and manage cortisol levels to help you beat the odds and successfully stay away from the "call to eat" when stressed.
During the holidays there are many more events to attend, holiday shopping requirements, end of the year business tasks to complete, daylight is shortened... There are a number of legitimate task tugging at your "gym time". However, these are also the important reasons to schedule your gym time. Maintaining muscle mass is important not only for the sake of appearance, but also to help prevent your metabolic rate from slowing. Working out will also provide many additional benefits to you during this high stress time of the year. Working out will also help reduce the holiday stress. If you are stressed out, you'll be too exhausted to make good food choices. All your favorite comfort foods will start to look even more tempting. Working out will keep you away physically from the holiday junk food temptation, if only for a little bit, while speeding up your metabolic rate making your fat burning engine run faster, and more efficient. This will also increase your internal GH levels, helping to promote a more anabolic environment which would further fuel your internal fat burning machine (Cortisol levels will also be kept in check).
By scheduling your workout you will be forced to properly manage your other tasks and set goals and boundaries and stay focused. Once done with your work out you will feel more relaxed, more refreshed and more able to attack the remaining tasks you have efficiently and with vigor.
Since over the holidays there will be a number of tasks tugging at your time and giving you excuses not to get to the gym, I would like to suggest another alternative for the holiday season: the 45 minute non stop holiday workout. This in not for the faint hearted as I have brought more than one client to his or her knees and praying to a porcelain statue. The key to the workout is simple. You have a planned focus workout, which is mapped out in your head prior to getting to the gym. Once you arrive there you are off to the races. You know what weight you can handle. You have alternate exercises picked out in your head in case a machine or bench is being used. The bottom line is you give 100% per rep, per set, and you keep going. If you have to rest, you rest no more than the time it takes to change the bar. Now move to the next station. By decreasing the rest between sets forcing the muscles to work harder while in partial recovery. You also increase fat burning, and lower the risk of injury in that you can use lighter weights than if you were taking longer rest between sets which allow your muscles partial recovery rather than this approach of progressive stimulation. The key here is also to maintain extreme focus and concentration with each rep with the end result to increase the INTENSITY, not just the weight used. Increasing the intensity in a smart way will increase success. Without intensity you can lift as much as you like and you will still only obtain very minimal results. What many beginners fail to realize is that the progressive overload principal only works when muscles are hot. Therefore, the best way to use this principle to your advantage is to decrease the amount of rest in between sets. Lifting with less rest between sets also has the added benefit of increasing muscular endurance, which is essential at all levels of training, as muscles need to be able to tolerate the build up of lactic acid.
If you can increase your ability to tolerate lactic acid, you will be able to complete more reps and therefore experience greater results. An added benefit is that if you train quicker, you will also need to do fewer sets, which will allow you to squeak in the work out, during the busy holidays when you think you do not have the time. I have gotten killer workouts with clients in 20 minutes, when I had them moving full blast. Doubtful? Look me up when you are in the LA area?
You do not have to give up your favorite foods to maintain a healthy diet during the holiday season. Small adjustments in your eating habits can make a big difference in your health, your physique and overall well being.
The office can also be a very huge "problem" area for many during the holiday season. There are many potential pitfalls and traps. These include:
The tip here is to be prepared and stay strong. To help you stay strong I suggest too many of my clients to arm yourself with snacks that are low in fat, low in sugar and moderate sodium. Fill your desk with your "holiday stress/fat buster" snacks that you can call in moderation when you are hungry or when a temptation arises. These may include:
Ingredients:
This will serve 8. Directions:
Per Serving:
Ingredients: Directions:
Per Loaf:
Directions:
1/2-cup egg substitute 2 cups mashed bananas 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour 1-teaspoon baking powder 1/2-teaspoon baking soda 1-teaspoon cinnamon Directions:
Per Loaf:
 Other Low Fat Alternatives To Consider For Your Holiday Meal
Low Fat Pumpkin Cheesecake. Cut the saturated fat content and cholesterol by using a combination of low fat and fat free cream cheese, with egg whites. The crust can be made from low fat graham crackers or even better yet, trans-fat-free gingersnap cookies. Now you can enjoy all the flavor of a holiday dessert with a fraction of the fat. Top it off with fat-free whipped topping, and some cinnamon or nutmeg. "Labrada Carb Watchers Cake & Muffin Mix"
Other Desert Making Tips: The directions are simple; just pour an ounce or two of pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, red wine or fresh apple cider over the fruits and nuts and bake. The whole house will fill out with a delicious aroma. Like the pumpkin cheesecake, the delicious low fat desert can also be served with a scoop of low fat frozen ice cream or some non-fat whipped cream sprinkled with a little nutmeg and/or cinnamon.
There are quite a few strategies you can utilize to maintain muscle mass while stripping body fat during the holiday season.
Eating more frequently - even a very small meal - will stimulate the appetite center of the brain, which can help reduce a sometimes-overwhelming desire to eat. Eating more frequently will not only keep your hunger levels at check, but it will also help keep your energy levels even, enhance nutrient absorption, enhance fat burning and minimize fat building through excess calories. Most importantly it can help keep you from binging on the "bad snacks", like the holiday cakes, and cookies that seem to be everywhere during the holidays.
In addition to bulk, they're high in fiber, so they also tend to stay with you for a while. Good choices include broccoli, cauliflower, celery, squash and zucchini.
You can add fiber to your diet with supplements with each meal, or by incorporating foods higher in fiber into your diet such as long-grain brown rice, fibrous vegetables, high-fiber oatmeal and oat-bran cereals.
Since protein and dietary fats are digested far more slowly than carbohydrates and they prevent carbohydrates from rushing out of the stomach, helping to make you feel full longer. By employing this simple change and adding just a minimal amount of protein and good fats within your diet you can prevent your "need" to gorge, overeat and lust after those holiday sweets.
Approximately 40% of your daily carbohydrate intake should be contained in your post workout meals because carbohydrates raise insulin levels, which increases growth and reverses muscle breakdown induced by weight training. More muscle means a higher metabolic rate. If calories remain constant this means you will instead burn fat stores. This time is also an important time to replenish lost glycogen stores for the following day's workout.
There are many supplements that can help burn calories, and also retain muscle. Although there are too many to include I will highlight a few important ones that are often missed by many.
This slower absorbing protein is ideal for your last meal before sleep and will help prevent muscle wasting that can occur during sleep when the muscles are not getting needed protein. Casein also has a very high natural peptide form based glutamine (Peptide form is absorbed better due to peptide transport systems in the digestive tract). Glutamine supports lean muscle mass. Casein based proteins also provide a higher amount of glycomacropeptide, which is known to help reduce appetite.
Glutamine levels must be maintained, to provide its vital role in regulating energy, regulating glucose metabolism, repairing any lost muscle tissue, maintaining and building added muscle, sustaining elevated levels of growth hormone and its powerful anabolic effect, lowering cortisol levels, nourishing the immune system, keeping brain and nerve function at a high level, and maintaining the acid/alkali blood balance. Therefore routine supplementation should be part of your daily regimen. For most bodybuilders I would suggest taking 5 grams of glutamine peptides before a work out, so that blood glutamine levels are high to ensure that the entire body has enough reserve glutamine to prevent glutamine depletion during or after a strenuous workout. An additional 5 grams should be taken following training to restore blood levels of glutamine burned up by exertion. Failure to restore these levels will impact the benefits derived from intense training. It will also slow recovery, which will reduce growth. I prefer glutamine peptides because peptide-bonded glutamine is selectively absorbed by muscle tissue in need of repair and replenishment. Being easily absorbed and totally bioavailable, peptide-bonded glutamine enters muscle cells fast, breaks down to free glutamine, and performs its essential metabolic functions. Peptide-bonded glutamine is thus more efficient, more effective, and superior to free-form L-glutamine.
Many people get sick during the holidays. Vitamin C is a cost effective water soluble vitamin that has many key functions and values to the body. Vitamin C can also help contain cortisol levels, which will also help maintain testosterone levels and help maintain an anabolic environment conducive for adding muscle mass and burning stored fat.
If manganese supplementation is not taken in conjunction with increased vitamin C consumption, Vitamin C can negatively affect glycogen stores in the liver, decreasing the liver's ability to store larger amounts. For a bodybuilder this means less energy stores to power your work out. This means less muscle gain, and less fat burning, so understanding how specific supplementation can not only affect your body, but affect other nutritional levels in your body is key for optimum performance (and ultimately appearance).
Interestingly enough caffeine, which for many of us is a daily part of our diet, can cause an excretion of calcium. I would suggest ensuring that you are getting at least 200 micrograms a day of selenium and at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day from your diet and supplements.
Once in the brain, 5-HTP is converted into an important nervous system chemical, or neurotransmitter, called serotonin. Serotonin (5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine), which plays an important role in the regulation of mood, appetite, body temperature, and the secretion of various hormones. It is believed that, environmental stressors lower levels of serotonin in the brain and can cause people to become overweight, crave sugar and other carbohydrates, experience bouts of emotional imbalance, and have vague muscle aches and pain. It is also believed that by supplementing with 5-HTP and raising the levels of serotonin in the brain, these problems can be avoided (or corrected). A holiday dinner of turkey wills contains the natural amino acid L-tryptophan, which can provide sietity through the protein and by providing 5-HTP.
Have a Tyrosine fortified Java drink prior to your holiday party or holiday meal. The amino acid tyrosine, when consumed on an empty stomach can act as a mild appetite suppressant by increasing the body's levels of noradrenalin (norepinephrine). When consumed with caffeine, the effect is enhanced dramatically. Not only do you get an energy boost and a stronger appetite suprressant effect but the 1-2 punch also liberates free fatty and glycerol--the byproduct of fat breakdown which helps short-circuit the appetite control center located in the brain. Consider 2 g of tyrosine with 200 grams of caffeine (1 good cup of java) 30- 45 minutes before eating and repeat the process in the early afternoon.
ZMA is a formulated zinc product that has shown to help improve training recovery and allow you to sleep better. Additional studies however has suggested that ZMA can also help control appetite, because studies have shown that people who have a zinc deficiency also tend to have less leptin (leptin is associated with appetite control). Increasing zinc levels can help raise leptin levels, which can help prevent binging, and excess eating.
Histidine also increases to histamines, which decrease food consumption. One important factoid, the holiday season can result in taking antihistamines - drugs that block the release of histamines, which interestingly enough can lead to greater food consumption. Studies suggest taking 500 mg of histidine three times a day to help control appetite.
Taking Garcinia during the holidays may help control appetite cravings and binges by promoting synthesis of glycogen (Glycogen is the stored form of glucose, one of the body's primary sources of energy). Increased glycogen production and storage is the body's normal way of signaling the brain's satiety centre that enough food has been eaten. Research suggests that Garcinia contains a biologically active compound, which is known to inhibit the synthesis of lipids and fatty acids and lower the formation of LDL and triglycerides (inhibiting the conversion of excess calories to body fat). Studies suggest taking 350-700 mg twice daily with meals. Allow several weeks for benefits.
It was just introduced to the US market in early 2004 for use as an appetite suppressant. Scientists believe that Hoodia sends signals to the brain that make the brain believe that the body is full, even when it is not. These signals are believed to be thousands of times stronger than the signals that sugar sends to the brain for the same reason. Those who wish to suppress appetite, increase energy levels and lose weight can benefit greatly from using Hoodia as a nutritional supplement. When used in conjunction with a healthy eating plan and exercise, Hoodia can help to bring about massive changes in body composition, and can greatly improve a person's health. When taken consistently Hoodia can help stop the cravings which can help substantially during the holiday season when food temptations surround us at every corner.
Binging, or overeating happens to the best of us, even champion bodybuilders. That does not mean to throw all caution to the wind. The key here is to stop with the excuses, make a plan, have a vision and do your best. Do not beat yourself up for a mistake, but also do not keep "rewarding yourself" with binges and bad food.
If you cannot skip an event altogether, how about just dropping by - then exiting gracefully before the desert (and some of the stupid human tricks that can occur at such events after the drinks start flowing freely). Say no to the peer pressure to do the things that you do not want to do or are not in you best interest regarding your health goals. Forget the peer pressure. As for the endless invitations to eat, eat, eat, and recognize that what you put in your mouth is your business and nobody else's. Focus on the causes of the over eating and address them. It is well known that stress can break a diet plan, so focus on improving your quality of life by reducing stress and doing things you enjoy, which keep you away from the buffet line and from the fridge. Make small goals that are obtainable. A good goal for some people may be to try and maintain their weight through the holiday season. Surround yourself with people that respect your choices not to over eat rather than shaming you or peer pressuring you. Recognize that once you make a series of these goals, bigger goals will seem attainable not insurmountable.
Do not allow a day off from the gym to turn into many days off from the gym. If you enjoy exercising this will only make you feel more depressed and lead to more overeating, and less muscle. A slower metabolism, all feeding into the negative results you are trying to avoid. Training is also the outlet for you to reduce stress, reduce cortisol levels, which will also increase your serotonin levels, feeling of well being, and reduce the cravings for high caloric comfort foods. To be successful at managing your weight during the holidays have a plan in place for those tempting moments when you may start a binge. This can be a drawer full of good lo calorie snacks or a plan to get out in the fresh air and go for a walk or exercise.
Since it is the holidays, what would this article be without talking about perfect holiday gifts?
Powertec Strength Roman Chair:
Powertec Leverage Squat/Calf Machine:
The Leverage Squat machine is a safe way to duplicate the squat when working out alone because it utilizes a lever arm rather than the bar. You receive the benefit of the proper feel and natural resistance of a barbell with the control and safety of a machine.
The angle position eliminates much of the stress on the lower back. They also include a removable calf block for standing calf raises to be performed. Powertec Strength VKR/Chin/Dip Unit:
VKR also locks your upper body in place when performing leg raises to develop the abdominals. Powertec Two Tier Dumbbell Rack:
This rack is sleek, sturdy, and the bent tubing gives this rack a gym style look. The Strength Two Tier Dumbbell Rack can hold all styles of dumbbells and has built in corner stops at each end to prevent dumbbells from falling off the rack.
It also will please my girlfriend who wants to throw the dumbbells at me every time she stubs her toes walking through my workout room at the present time while they are lying on the floor.
Bodybuilding.com R-Tek Fleece Jacket: These are new and I really want to have one. They provide the warmth, without the weight.
Full Zip Hooded Sweatshirt:
Sleeveless BB.com T-shirt: Who can't use more of these? I can then throw out the ones stained with Pro Tan.
A welcome addition to any training video collection:
Javalution Presents - Burn Extreme: JavaFit Burn Extreme is a high-energy, fat-burning gourmet coffee that helps you stay fit. Brew it like any other gourmet coffee and enjoy its robust aromas, body and flavor. JavaFit Burn will help boost your body's metabolism with every cup you drink. It's a delicious, full-bodied, hand-roasted, Latin American, gourmet Arabica coffee.
Sly's Instone High Protein Pudding: Ready-to-eat high protein pudding. Lactose free, contains 20 grams of high quality protein, only 2 grams or less of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of fat. It contains 3-5 times more protein per serving than other so-called high protein puddings and it tastes delicious! It also does not contain any sugar or sugar alcohols. The protein source is from lactose-free calcium caseinate (milk derived) and soy protein isolate.
Labrada's Lean Body Cookie Bars: The New Lean Body Cookie bar will change your idea of what a protein bar can be! Enjoy the homemade goodness of a fresh-baked cookie while building muscle at the same time. Each bar contains 30 grams of protein, 0 trans-fats and low sugar - the perfect snack for training athletes and dieters alike.
Labrada's Lean Body Sweet & Salty Granola Bars: The new all-natural Lean Body Sweet & Salty Granola Bar begins with real granola--- sweet and delicious, which is mixed with lightly salted, crunchy nuts and then frosted on one side with rich, creamy milk chocolate or yogurt.
SciFit Fat Free Beef Stix: 15 Grams Protein. Only 1 Gram of Carbs, Beef Raised without Anabolics or Hormones, No MSG!
Protos Foods Presents - Ostrim Jerkee: The #1 Sports Nutrition Meat Snack For Low Fat Protein!
SPRI Xercise Ball Package With DVD And Pump: Great gift to help a loved one strengthen and tone their abs, hips, and strengthen their lower back, improves flexibility and balance.
Bodybuilding.com Silver Strip Gym Bag: This gym bag is a stylish way for holding all your gym equipment. Progryp Pro Hooks: These items are a must have as they are designed to supplement the grip during times where hand fatigue can keep you from getting that extra rep. Quicker and easier to use than straps and they do not dig into your wrist (which can result in carpal tunnel syndrome)
Scheik Padded Lifting Straps With Lock On Dowel: Wrist support and lifting strap all in one. Schiek lifting straps are perfect for lat pulldowns, shrug; any movement, set or exercise requiring a secure grip.
The Tommy Kono Waistband: This is a must have for people with lower back pain. The kono product is made from a special type of elastic material to help the body retain body heat. A warm muscle is more flexible and less likely to be injured. One size fits all (velcro adjustments).
The Power Up 4" Power Belt: Made of suede and has a double pronged buckle. Great suport for heavy deadlifts, and squats.
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