Celebrate the FIT Way this 4th of July Holiday

The best way to make it through the holidays without overeating and drinking is to have a plan. Here are my 10 Fitness resolutions to make it through the July 4th holiday BBQs!

1. I will make dates to see my friends and family and do something that doesn't involve eating and drinking. I will walk through the park, ice skate, cross country ski, walk the mall, take a yoga or cardio class, or run on a treadmill right next to my friend.

2. I will think of food as a fuel, not as a gift, which means passing on food that is high in fat and sugar, and taking HALF the portion everyone else heaps onto their plate.

3. If I have to be at a restaurant, I will identify the 3 healthiest things on the menu and pick between those. Cut and close the menu!

4. I will follow the food pyramid daily, drink 8 cups of water a day, and I will take a daily multi-vitamin.

5. I will not eat any bad food that is lying around the office before I pack up to leave. I will bring healthy snacks to my desk that are sweet and/or salty, like whole wheat crackers, almonds, grapes, or chocolate soy milk.

6. I will drink no more than 2 alcoholic beverages at parties and events (if necessary, cut extra drinks with spritzers) and I will have a snack before these events so I don't attack the buffet line. White wine and vodka/club soda have much less calories than frozen margaritas, pina coladas, etc.

7. I will drive less and walk more. I will take the stairs when possible and never go a day without some exercise.

8. I will use my a gym membership, if I don't have one already, and I will use it. If I don't have the money right now, I will buy an inexpensive workout DVD. (My no-equipment Fit Travel Workout DVD comes out in 2 weeks, email me to get on the mailing list.)

9. I will weigh myself everyday so that I remember my goals and can feel good about the choices I made yesterday.

Fitness - Fit it in!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: frank]

Great resolutions and inspiring post. It's easy to be a little too relaxed and forget to workout sometimes... especially during the summer holidays! Thanks!

[#2 Posted by: cjmilcom]

Nikki, this is a great list! Thanks for sharing it.

[#3 Posted by: Harry Johnson Jr.]

What a great post! So many people get thrown off their diet and exercise routines due to lack of a plan. And the holidays? They are one of the main culprits causing people to do just that. Any one trying to reach fitness excellence needs to understand that each and every day we will be faced with challenges and choices we need to make. I try stressing this to my clients in hopes that they realize that fitness isn't based on fad diets, but on a healthy lifestyle. If we have an overall plan we follow in which we learn how our bodies utilize food as fuel, we will make more conscious food choices rather than eating on impulse, or off-schedule.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Harry Johnson Jr is the 1998 Body For Life Champion - You can learn more about losing weight and getting into great shape at his blog, www.harryjohnsonjr.com