Trimming the Fat this Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving, we are going down to South Florida to visit the in-laws. I'm really looking forward to seeing them...I've missed the family and have felt itchy to escape town for a minute. I, like everyone else, am already excited about eating some delicious turkey and his yummy side-friends!

I'm all about indulging once in a while and I do think occasions such as Thanksgiving are acceptable times to 'cheat'. But there's that fine line between savoring and devouring and I know I'll be aware of it. I definitely plan on avoiding the gluttony that runs rampant every Thanksgiving! Will you? Here's a game plan to help trim the fat from our Thanksgiving meal.

1. Choose the protein, the veg, then the carbs, in that order. This should be easy for me because I'm always hungry for protein. However, is green bean casserole really considered a veg with all that creamy mushroom soup and dehydrated onions? Go for the roasted veggies and salad first. I hear my mom-in-law is gonna make a sweet potato casserole (without the marshmallows), so that will be a healthy, delicious carb option.

2. Savor the flavour. With reasonable portions, I'll make a point of savoring each bite rather than shoveling through to the next round. Remember, it can take 20 minutes for your stomach to register being full but only 5 minutes to finish your plate. Then you're on to the next. And then you have two servings of dessert before the 20 minutes is up. By then, you're wishing you wore sweatpants and feeling ready to bust open. I'm definitely gonna avoid that feeling and take my time, enjoying conversation with my family instead.

3.  Hide the plate when you're done. The longer you hang on to it, the more tempted you'll be to get another scoop of mashed potatoes. Either put your napkin on top, or leave it in the kitchen.

4. Walk it off. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to put your shoes on and leave for a half an hour, just keep moving. Mingle or throw on the Wii and play a game with your family. Make it easier for your food to digest!

5. Remember, it's not just about the food! Thanksgiving is about family, friends, and of course, being Thankful for what we have. Enjoy the moment and remember everything you are thankful for. I'm thankful for being healthy, having people whom I love, my amazing job, and living in safety and freedom...amongst so many other things. This will be my reminder when I start to get lost in my plate! :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

PS - This game plan can also be applied to the rest of your holiday feasts!

Today's workout

This was tough!! I've switched from high-reps/low weight to higher weight/lower reps for a shock to the system. It definitely is a shock lol.

CHEST/TRIS

-Incline chest press 3x12
- Dumbbell flys 3x12

- Seated chest press 3x10
- Cable flys 3x12

- Inside grip seated chest press 3x10
- Dumbbell pullover 3x10

- Tricep dips 3x12
- Overhead cable extension (with rope) 3x12

- Single Arm cross-chest extention 3x10
- Rope press down 3x10

Arms were jello by the time I got to triceps...but overall it was an awesome workout!

Workouts yesterday and today

Cranked up the weight!!!

Yesterday - LEGS

Superset

- Squat to shoulder press 12x3
- Weighted walking lunge 15x3

- Plie to upright 12x3
- Weighted side lunge 12x3

- Close-stance leg press 12x3
- Leg extension 10x3

- Deadlift 12x3
- Hamstring curls 12x3
- Weighted kickbacks 10x3

Today - BACK/BIS

Superset

- Assisted pull-ups 10x3
- Seated cable rows 10x3

- Reverse-grip lat pulldowns 10x3
- Low cable rows 10x3

- Single-arm high-back cable rows 12x3
- Bent over reverse flys 10x3

- Bar curl 10x3
- Hammer curl 10x3

- Concentrated curl 10x3
- Outercurl 10x3

Wednesday's workout

Back/Chest

Compound sets
- Lat pulldown 3x15
- Dumbbell press 3x15

- Seated cable row 2x15, 1x10
- Incline dumbbell flys 2x15, 1x10

- Assisted chin-ups 3x10
- Bosu push-ups 3x15

Abs
- Standing side-bends 3x15
- Standing twists 3x15

Tuesday's workout

Yesterday - LEGS
This was the first time in a couple weeks I trained legs - trying to rest them as much as possible while I go to Chiro. So I took it easy...and barely walking today!

Supersets
- Basic squats, 15 lbs, 3 sets of 15
- Walking lunges, 5 lbs, 3 sets of 30 steps

- Leg extension machine, 55 lbs, 3 sets of 15
- Plie squats, 25 lbs, 3 sets of 15

- Deadlift, 30 lbs, 3 sets of 15
- Abductors, 100lbs, 3 sets of 15
- Adductors, 100 lbs, 3 sets of 15

6 am Workout

Back:
3 sets/15 reps

• assisted pull-ups
• seated cable row

---

• single-arm cable pull-down
• reverse-grip low bar row

Core:

• back extension with 10lb plate, 3 sets 12 reps
• cable wood-chop 3 sets, 12 reps 

Shoulders:
3 sets/15 reps

• bent-over reverse dumbbell flys
• low-cable deltoid raises

Bis:

• bar curl 3 sets 15 reps
• alternating hammer curl 3 sets  10 reps

November: Stopping Diabetes Over the Holidays

Just in time for the Holidays....November is National Diabetes Month and I'm glad the awareness is spreading during a time when many people put their health on the back-burner while enjoying the holidays. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Thanksgiving and Christmas...but gone are the days when I celebrate weeks in advance with cookies, chocolate, and eggnog on a daily basis. It can be tempting - but the statistics (and my job) provide me with enough education and motivation to focus on being healthy and saving the indulging for the actual holidates.

Did you know that 51% of the annual weight gain across the U.S. occurs during the 6 week holiday season? Let's think about the significance of that statistic - if you gain 5 lbs in a year, half of that is gained in just a month and half!

Or, say you worked hard to lose 8 lbs over the last few months, you could be potentially sabotaging your hard work by entitling yourself to 'letting go' over the holidays....and then you become one of the several people who feel guilty in January and make all sorts of weight-loss resolutions.

Now for the link to Type 2 Diabetes. Along with genetics, lifestyle factors largely affect a person's risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Proper nutrition, an active lifestyle, and a healthy weight can help manage or even prevent Type 2 Diabetes. The statistics for diabetes also give incentive to keep it clean:

• every 20 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes
• over 24 millions children and adults are living with diabetes
• 57 million have prediabetes and are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes
• 1 out of every 3 children will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue
• since 1987, the death toll from diabetes has climbed 45%
• it doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke
• the leading cause of blindness, amputation and kidney disease

I'm hoping I can help motivate and inspire people to keep their health a priority over the next couple of months. I am going to continue being active and eating well and I hope you join me in this challenge! I'll save my treats for the actual holidays themselves and work on healthier versions of holiday recipes in the mean time.

If you'd like to learn more about American Diabetes Month, visit http://www.stopdiabetes.com/. Check out your local listings for community events to support the cause.

I'll also be posting tips and tricks on keeping it clean over the holidays on my Facebook page. Feel free to share your wisdom too!

Today's workout

Split in two:

- 45 minutes of cardio

- 200 push-ups