Tony Horton: Feel-Good Fitness
Your Gym Etiquette Questions Answered
Celeb Trainer Jackie Warner's Post-Thanksgiving Tips
Posted on Nov 27th 2009 11:00AM by Nicole Dorsey-StraffFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness
Photo: Anchor Bay
- As soon as you open your eyes, schedule a yoga or Spinning class, or call to make an appointment with a personal trainer. "Start your day by being consistent and accountable to exercise for the rest of the week," said Warner. "Establish a healthier, new pattern so you stop beating yourself over the food."
- All of those fattening Thanksgiving leftovers are just sitting in your refrigerator, calling your name. "It's fine to enjoy your meals, just do it in the proper order of the good, the bad, and the ugly," Warner said. That means nibble the leaner veggie side dishes first, followed by white meat turkey and a dollop of gravy. Then move to the more fattening food such as stuffing and sweet potatoes, and finish with a slice of pumpkin pie or fruitcake.
- Help quell your cravings and mood swings for excessive sweet calories by avoiding heavy snacks, especially at night. "A slice of coconut custard is not a snack -- it's dessert," Warner said. Before you start scarfing all the leftovers, Warner suggests you brew a strong cup of herbal or green tea and sip steadily to quell the oral fixation. You can also just dump the desserts in the garbage or give it to a neighbor!
- Get outside and move around for 20 minutes. "A lot of holiday overeating raises cortisol stress levels, and taking a walk, riding your bike or lacing up your running shoes can decrease these stress hormones and simultaneously inhibit your appetite," said Warner, who has trained Amanda Peet and Kerry Washington at her Southern California gym Sky Sport and Spa.
- For the next week or so, drink a glass of water with lemon before meals. "Lemon is a natural liver detoxifier packed with Vitamin C which may help detox a body that's fighting to metabolize all those extra calories," Warner said. Cold or warm water spritzed with lemon may also suppress your appetite. Most importantly, realize your own triggers and learn how to circumvent them. "This holiday only comes once a year so enjoy it in a healthier way," Warner said.
