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Health & Fitness

Time to Take a Hike

How to get through the holidays and still fit into your clothes.

With Thanksgiving barely past and the Christmas holidays ahead, many of us are focusing on food.  How much did we eat last week, and do my clothes still fit?  How am I going to get through the holidays with all those cookies around?

It is a good time to start thinking about controlling your appetite and getting on an exercise regimen.

Weight control is a function of intake and output.  You put weight on when you eat more than you expend in exercise.  You lose weight when you eat less than you expend.

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National guidelines preach 60 minutes of exercise daily— every day.  Start small with 20 minutes every other day.  Measure the distance to go around your neighborhood block and plan to walk 20 then 30 minutes, every other day then daily. 

Have a dog?  Take that dog on a walk with you.  Both you and your dog will benefit.

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As for the eating... shrink the portions that you eat.  Eat slowly, drinking from a glass of water in between bites to feel fuller.  Avoid snacking in between meals.  If that cookie is just too irresistible, then just eat 2 bites of it.  Train yourself to slow down when eating.

Come Jan. 2, your body will thank you for your diligence.

Happy holidays!!

 

 

 

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