That time of year is upon us again—when parties, big family meals, and other holiday get-togethers spell the potential for weight gain. Studies have linked the holiday season (mid-November through December) with weight gain ranging from 1 to 3.5 pounds, on average. . . . We want you to enjoy the holidays, complete with the splurges you may desire. But if you want to have your cake and literally eat it too—and notgain weight—there’s a simple behavioral modification technique that might well help, as a study in Obesity recently reported: Weigh yourself every morning. Regular self-weighing has been shown to help people lose weight and is a hallmark of Weight Watchers. The National Weight Control Registry, which tracks people who have successfully lost and kept weight off, considers it a particularly effective strategy for maintaining long-term weight loss.
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🍎 Health Hack ~ Put the Brakes on Worry
Call Out Your Worries
If they’re stuck inside your mind, worries and “What ifs?” can grow unchecked. Say them out loud, and they might just vanish. You can test this tactic first: Start to recite the letters of the alphabet in your head. When you get a few letters in, say something out loud. Notice that your ABCs came to a halt? That’s what can happen when you give voice to your worries.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Best Way to Strengthen Your Core
Start Planking
The plank pose is where you hold a push-up position while resting on your forearms. This simple move is the ideal exercise for strengthening crucial core muscles. As you go about your day, almost every move you make revolves around your core — from picking up items on the floor to twisting to see if the coast is clear when driving. . . .
Here’s how to do a plank correctly:
- Lie facedown with your forearms on the floor, with your legs extended and your feet together. You can use a mat or towel to make this more comfortable.
- Push into your forearms as you raise your body so it forms a straight line from your head and neck to your feet. (Do not let your hips rise or sag.)
- Keep your gaze down and hold this position as you engage your abdominal muscles. Take steady, even breaths.
- Try to maintain the position for up to 30 seconds and then lower your body and rest. This completes one set. Work toward completing two to three sets.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Start the Day with an Energy Booster
Eat Your Oats!
Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate. That means it’s full of fiber and nutrients. Oatmeal is slower to digest and supplies energy evenly instead of all at once. A bowl in the morning will keep you going for hours.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Battling a Sore Throat?
Sip Some Tea
A warm cup of tea may provide relief when you have a sore throat, but it may also help prevent you from getting sick too. “In order to stay healthy, it’s important to stay hydrated. One way to do that is to drink tea,” says Dr. Segal.
But not all teas are created equal. Dr. Segal recommends sipping on green, black or white tea, since they contain powerful antioxidants that can help your body eliminate bacteria that cause colds or the flu.
For a little extra protection, drizzle some honey into your tea. Research has shown that honey has the power to kill bacteria.
🍎 Health Hack ~ Exercise Is a Great Medicine
Know Someone With Diabetes? Exercise May Be a Big Help
For people who have diabetes—or almost any other disease, for that matter—the benefits of exercise can’t be overstated. Exercise helps control weight, lower blood pressure, lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, raise healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthen muscles and bones, reduce anxiety, and improve your general well-being. There are added benefits for people with diabetes: exercise lowers blood glucose levels and boosts your body’s sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance.
🍎 Health Hack ~Avoid Holiday Stress
Don’t Forget to Check In With Yourself
It’s easy to get caught up with preparing dinner or wrapping gifts until your fingers fall off, but be sure to take a few seconds to ask what’s going on with you.
“Do a daily check-in with yourself each morning to see what you need, just for you, that day,” Patel says. “It could be the simplest thing like your morning coffee alone, a 30-minute walk with your favorite music, or drinking a green juice to fuel your body.”
🍎 Health Hack ~ Don’t Let Emails Rule You
Urgent” Emails
E-mails cause more stress for women than men because women feel greater pressure to respond immediately. So try turning off your e-mail alerts, and check your inbox when the timing is right for you.
Stress happens—chalk it up to the holidays, work, or gloomy weather persisting. Next time you’re feeling stressed, keep tension in check by exercising, catching up with a friend, or devoting a few minutes to your favorite hobby.
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🍎 Health Hack ~ You Are Your Best Medicine
THINK POSITIVE AND FOCUS ON GRATITUDE
Research shows a healthy positive attitude helps build a healthier immune system and boosts overall health. Your body believes what you think, so focus on the positive.
