HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The holiday season will be here before we know it and with the holidays come all the tasty treats. Whether you love Halloween candy or decadent desserts, being mindful about what you eat is key to a healthy lifestyle.
Rose Jefferies, a personal trainer at Workout Anytime in Huntsville says the holidays can be tempting and when you indulge, being mindful is important.
“That’s why when you get like one little cookie, you want another and want another so we really have to be careful and mindful,” Jefferies told News 19, “And sometimes indulging too much can disrupt your gut and the microbiome which sets off cravings.”
Jefferies says with Halloween just around the corner, there are ways you can still treat yourself, “I would just put the candy on the front porch, pass it out and enjoy it in very small doses.”
But, sometimes working off those treats can be an intense workout at the gym and putting your treat into perspective helps. “One pumpkin spice latte means you would have to briskly walk for just 35 minutes, so that’s a good chunk of your evening just to enjoy a 12oz beverage.”
But if you want to indulge, Jefferies says you can actually prepare your body for that beforehand! The Workout Anytime location is Huntsville will start High-Intensity Interval Training classes next month, “Getting in a workout before treating yourself is a good idea.”
“HIIT is going to be your express calorie burn, your express energy booster. So, I would get into some HIIT classes right away and I would lead heavily towards some strength training, because the more muscle we have it’s easier to burn off the fat.”
She adds that meal prepping for the week is another way to set yourself up for success. Not only is it a way to save time and money, but she says it’s another way to involve the family in a healthy lifestyle. But, if you don’t know where to start, they can help.
“We have the Workout Anytime app that has really great recipes on it, so that’s a way to start. to look and see what you eat, everybody has different diets and kind of piece together things that way.”
Jefferies says even with different diets, everyone can gain more nutrients from extra veggies, no matter the holiday and doing things like a cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes can make a difference.
