The Holiday Challenge

Thanksgiving and Christmas season is upon us. These next few weeks can be a source of a few extra pounds or a lot of stress if you are trying to count every last calorie. Let's try to compromise this year. Being fit and healthy needs to include your mental health too. Stressing out about gaining weight is just as bad as stressing out about losing weight.

So how do we meet in the middle?

I think the word is accountability. If you were to write down everything you ate in the day are there things you would not want to write down? If you would feel embarrassed about something, that is a good clue as to whether or not it is a good idea to be eating that item. Think about that when you are serving yourself at the holiday party. Do you need mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce? If the answer is yes to all, then how much do you really need? It is OK to eat any and all of those holiday foods we love. However, consume in moderation. How big is a portion? A portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. How many decks did you put on your plate? How many calories are in your drink? Soda and beer are around 150 calories per 12oz. serving. How many drinks are you having? All of this is especially important as the number of events start to add up. Holiday work parties, family parties, parties with your friends all add up. Don't make it so you are adding up big numbers. Make it so you are adding up moderate numbers.

So, eat drink and be merry, but do so in moderation realizing that you are accountable for your actions.

Preparing for Winter

First off, No we are not hibernating animals!

Here in Wisconsin we have a challenge ahead. With daytime highs in the 30s this week and certain to drop well below that in the months to come we have some indoor work ahead. So, are you getting back into things or just transitioning out of things?

For those of you who have been away from the bike for a while riding again begins with an initial preparation period. Muscles, ligaments, and tendons loose there ability to do maximal work in just a few weeks. Furthermore, they take a few weeks to get back up to speed. You should start with a few weeks of lower intensity, endurance paced pedaling. Some low intensity pedal speed drills are also appropriate. This period of anatomical adaptation is important. It should precede the higher force work in order to avoid injury. Most of us are capable of doing more, but we shouldn't.

For others, we have been on the bike right up until now. It was in the 70s just last weekend! From a physiologic standpoint we can do more work, but maybe we shouldn't. Taking a little bit of time to recharge is a good idea. Work on writing down your goals for 2009, or even just this winter. Refocus. Keep the drive strong by not diluting it by spreading yourself too thin. Take a couple weeks and then it is probably time to start the base work for 2009.