It’s the time of the year for indulging. The big meals. The alcohol. Desserts. Oh, those desserts.
And there’s not much time for things like … exercise and being reasonable.
Local fitness expert Juan Carlos Santana, founder of the Boca Raton’s Institute of Human Performance has three decades of fitness-industry experience under his belt. An international speaker, author and (obviously) fit person, Santana says there are a few things we all can do to lighten the holiday load on our bodies.
At every single holiday event, at work and at home, we’re constantly surrounded by excessively sugary and salty snacks. A quick tip: use water to dilute salt and fiber and oil to dilute sugar.
“Have a water bottle everywhere you are,” Santana says in an email interview. “[If] you consume two gallons of water 48 hours after a salty feast, you [would] probably [be] holding less water than prior to the meal. This is especially true if you don’t normally drink a lot of water.”
He says you should also fear the sugar.
“I would venture to say that the intake of sugar may be more dangerous and cost this country more healthcare dollars than alcohol or any hard drug,” he says. “From metabolic diseases, like diabetes, to other inflammatory disorders, high sugar intake must be addressed in order to control weight and improve health.”
To reduce the negative impact of sugar, consume food rich in fiber and oils (for example, fish oils). Both lower the glycemic index of sugary meals.
Not too hard to follow, right? To preserve your health this holiday season, here are Santana’s top three tips that mix in just a little exercise:
Tip 1: The day before the big meal, get in an extra 30 to 40 minutes of walking and start to pound the water, drinking 80 to 100 ounces of water. Have a healthy dinner the night before and consume 3 to 6 grams of fish oils and fiber throughout the day.
Tip 2: The day of the eating event, wake up 20 minutes earlier and use that time to walk before going to work. Keep consuming water.
“… you need 120 ounces for the day. All water in shakes counts, so drink up and keep count,” he says.
Don’t skimp on eating before the big dinner. Santana recommends having the JC Smoothie* (recipe below!) for breakfast; a protein shake for a snack; salad and chicken with 3 grams of fish oil for lunch; and a protein shake with two to three grams of fiber for a pre-dinner snack. Walk for 30 minutes before the dinner; shower and party like a rock star (within reason, he writes). Come home and drink a protein shake, with two to three grams of fiber and three to four grams of fish oil.
Tip 3: The day after the event, repeat the healthy eating, water drinking and walking of the day of the event. Of course, with a healthy post-holiday-meal dinner.
*To make the JC Smoothie, blend:
30-60 g of protein (less than 5 grams of sugar) (Santana recommends theLabrada -PRO V-60)
small scoop of SUPER GREEN FOOD (He recommends Garden of Life -Perfect Food)
1 cup – kale/spinach
½ cup – carrots
½ cup – celery
½ cup – tomato
½ cup – blueberries
½ cup – Raspberries
½ – banana
¼ cup – beats
small cube of ginger
Santana has lots of holiday tricks for fat loss that he’ll share with Fit Life readers after Christmas and the start of the New Year. Stay tuned – and happy holidays!
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About Lisette
Lisette Hilton, president of Words Come Alive, has had the luxury of reporting on health, fitness and other hot topics for more than 23 years. The longtime Boca Raton resident, University of Florida graduate and fitness buff writes for local, regional and national publications and websites. Find out more on wordscomealive.com.
