I
made a wager with the readers of my “Christmas Challenge”
article in the December 2014, edition of Natural Muscle. I
made the same bet with friends on my Facebook page, “Gina
Ostarly The New Forty.”
The challenge was to encourage people to embrace healthy
eating and exercise during the four weeks between Thanksgiving
and Christmas. This time of year is a daily dodge to avoid eating too
many high-calorie treats. Unless you’re Santa, it’s easy to pack on
unwanted pounds. Without a plan, the average American gains seven
pounds during the holidays.
The bet read: “ I am wagering on you to maintain or even lose a
few pounds over the next four weeks as a gift to yourself. I’ll even add
to it: become part of the ‘Christmas Challenge 2014’ and you could
be featured in an upcoming Natural Muscle article. We’ll share your
story with others and hopefully allow the readers to give themselves
the same present!”
The challenge wasn’t based on being a Scrooge and missing
holiday festivities. The goal was to provide the tools and knowledge
to package a plan and create daily balance. I provided a list, “The 10
Habits of Holiday Happiness,” that when implemented can improve
overall health and fitness not just during the holidays but throughout
the entire year.
Holidays or not, life presents parties, events and gatherings where
tempting food will be offered. I attend these social events and I
certainly eat. Both contribute to a balanced, healthy lifestyle
that helps you make it through the holidays (and life) feeling
and looking your best.
A husband and wife team accepted the challenge and
became the feature of this story. They started in December
and are still going strong six months into the New Year. I
hope their story inspires you to implement the “The 10 Habits
of Holiday Happiness.” Why wait until the holidays or the next “new
year” to start? Find happiness now. For those who insist on having a
target date, June 14 is Flag Day, June 18 is International Picnic Day
and June 21 is Father’s Day. There go your excuses.
Gerry found “The Christmas Challenge 2014” post on my Facebook
page, “Gina Ostarly, The New Forty”. Gerry gets his daily dose of
fitness motivation regularly from inspiring pages he has tuned into over
the years. Monika, his wife, shared that Gerry has more Facebook
fitness page “likes” than friends and admits she spends more time
on his account than her own because of it.
Gerry started following my page after turning 40 last year. Guys,
in case you are wondering, “The New Forty” isn’t just for girls. Glad
that Gerry figured that out on his own!
Gerry and Monika have been trying to get healthy for the last four
or five years. In fact, Gerry had a 70-pound weight loss on the books
before taking on my Christmas Challenge.
In holidays past, Gerry and Monika would muddle through the
season. They put fitness goals on hold until the new year like most
Americans wanting to embrace a healthier way of life. 2015 proved
different. Monika was tired of taking “before pictures” every January
1. She wanted “after pics” by summer.
The challenge kept them thinking about their health and nutrition
more than ever. As a team, it seemed easier to not overeat,
make healthier choices and get in scheduled workouts. Gerry said,
“We both did a good job at stepping up and encouraging each other
when one of us would want to slack off. The Christmas Challenge
really pushed us to help each other even more.”
Gerry dropped 5 pounds during the holiday season despite party
peer pressure and surgeries to his shoulder and knee. He weighed
190.6 pounds in mid December, his lowest in 24 years. To date he
has maintained his weight, wears looser-fitting clothes and continues
to makes gains in the gym.
Monika, a fulltime nursing instructor and currently working on a
master’s degree, was disappointed in her weight maintenance through
the holidays. Maintenance wasn’t something she achieved in previous
years, so she had hoped for more change. Little did Monika know
that the consistency of the Christmas Challenge would develop true
lifestyle changes that produced a 13-pound loss by the end of March.
Congratulations to Gerry and Monika for winning the challenge.
Their story is inspiring for anyone who wants to make healthier
choices, exercise more and lead a healthier lifestyle.
properly. Plus, the switch is too hard on many people’s palettes.
This is about balance, so ease into lower-calorie eating.
6. Forget fried
I am as much of a Southern girl as it gets. We fry just about
everything in Louisiana. Unfortunately, fried food puts us at greater
risk for heart disease, diabetes, clogged arteries, acne, acid reflux,
IBS, and magically shrinking pants and skirts. Go for the broiled or
baked versions.
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RECAP OF THE LIST:
1. G.Y.M. Get Yourself Moving
G.Y.M. is one of my favorite acronyms associated with a healthy
lifestyle. Incorporating a 30-minute walk into your daily activity
actually improves mood, sleep and sex. It has also been shown
to boost energy and combat disease. Take the stairs instead of
riding the elevator. Choose a far away parking spot; you can enjoy
watching everyone else drive in circles trying to find the closest
parking space.
2. Eat breakfast
Your mother was right: breakfast
is the most important meal of the
day. Eating breakfast boosts the
metabolism and therefore more
calories are burned during the day.
Eating breakfast also improves mental
performance, concentration, and mood. See what can happen
when a person takes a walk and eats breakfast on a daily basis?
Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are more likely
to maintain a healthy body weight.
3. Drink more H2O
Water is easily accessible and practically free. Dri