A Senior’s Guide to Battling Holiday Bulge

By Leslee Jaquette, guest blogger

I recently lost control at the first Thanksgiving buffet, gorging myself on turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy as well as three kinds of berry pie with real, whipped cream!

After my first holiday celebration, I –a personal trainer with credentials in senior fitness -- am already sporting the proverbial one to five pounds many people gain (and never lose) as a result of seasonal stuffing!

But now with one food overdose under my belt, I’m going to use some common sense ideas to maintain my weight. Nhayomee Perez, fitness expert with Future Fitness, a partner with Cadbury Senior Lifestyles, Cherry Hill, will also share tips she uses to coach participants through the holidays at the Cherry Hill, New Jersey, continuing care retirement community.

The challenge with the holidays

The challenge with the holidays is too much food, too many parties and not enough time or motivation to exercise. We all know how hard it is to fend off the holiday bulge, hang on to hard-won endurance and handle the inevitable stress of the season.

A recent article in “Women’s Health” underscores those problems, reporting that women average a weight gain of about one pound and that they can lose up to 20 percent of their cardiovascular fitness if they quit exercising between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

How to have fun, stay fit, avoid weight gain

Here are some ideas to help you maintain your weight and still nibble a few goodies during the holidays:

• Go easy on the buffet – Do not skip lunch and eat a high-protein snack beforehand.
• Fill up before dessert - Fill up on salads, fruits and veggies to reduce sweet-binging.
• Save calories for treats – Cut back on starches to save room for pumpkin pie. 
• Reward yourself for exercising – Relax with chamomile tea and a DVD ... not food!

Exercise tips fight off ‘the bulge’

Yes, as we age our metabolism tends to slow down and as a result we need fewer calories to keep us cookin’. But Nhayomee suggests we can boost our metabolism and eat up some of those extra holiday calories by keeping active and possibly adding even more exercise or interval training to our usual routine.

“The key thing is to keep motivated, maintain an attitude to keep active,” says Nhayomee, who has taught classes such as chair yoga, Silver & Fit and aquatics for Cadbury residents. “Stay inspired over the holidays by moving to the music, find an exercise buddy and get involved – invite a friend to walk with you and join in the fun.”

She explained that residents at continuing care communities have an advantage because they have so many activities to choose from and so many potential exercise buddies. Many residents at Cadbury, for example, ride the community van to the nearby Future Fitness Center.

There they can participate in a huge range of classes including tai chi and Arthritis Foundation programs. Of course, continues Nhayomee, “One of the best ways to burn up those extra calories and dissolve stress is to walk an extra 30 minutes a day and to take the stairs instead of the elevator.”

Also, when you choose holiday activities, incorporate as much activity as possible. Walk with the grandkids or friends from the car to the gingerbread house display, when shopping or exploring a museum. Don’t forget that even a short walk after dinner is super for digestion.

Another great way to boost metabolism is to work a little harder at your regular exercise. That could be as simple as alternating one minute of walking fast with three to five minutes of your normal “talking” pace. Adding intense bursts of activity is called interval training and works wonders for the waistline.

So, even if a workout is the last thing on your holiday list, try to make it a priority. In January you will grateful when your favorite pants still fit around the middle!

Happy Holidays!

Leslee Jaquette is a certified ACE Personal Trainer. She also holds credentials with EnhancedFitness, YogaFit, the American Senior Fitness Association and has completed her SilverSneakers training. An outdoor woman, Leslee lives in the Seattle area and loves to hike, walk, cycle, ski, snowshoe, sail, swim and scuba dive.