The Greater Plymouth Community Center holds a group exercise class. Photo courtesy of Greater Plymouth Community Center
The fitness and wellness pros at Greater Plymouth Community Center maintain that many of the tips they offered clients during the winter holidays are equally effective year-round.
For starters …
“Early morning workouts fire up your metabolism and set you on the right track to making healthier choices throughout the day,” says GPCC Fitness Manager Mary Ann Bevan.
And holiday time or not, “squeezing in an early morning workout will not only give you more time to do the things you need to get done later but will also give you more energy to do them.”
Regardless, “a quick workout is better than no workout,” the GPCC staffer continues. “If you don’t have a lot of time to spend at the gym, try interval training. It adds short bursts of intensity that fires up your metabolism and fast-tracks results. It can be done with just about any piece of cardio equipment. You can even add strength training into the mix.”
As a bonus, you’ll probably “improve your mood and reduce anxiety or stress ...”
Bevan’s advice for avoiding overindulgence at holiday gatherings works just as well for parties at any time of year.
“To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter and whipped cream — [which] don’t add much to the meal but can add plenty to your waistline,” she notes. “Trim calories wherever you can [so you feel] satisfied but not stuffed.
“Chew gum. When you don’t want to eat, pop a piece of sugarless gum into your mouth. This works well when you’re cooking or when you’re trying not to dive into the buffet. Continued...[2]
“Don’t skip meals. Always eat normally on the day of a party. People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there. Eating sensibly throughout the day will take the edge off the appetite. Start with a nourishing breakfast, have a light lunch and, then, a small snack or salad shortly before the event.
“Try to alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories. Cut your alcohol calories in half by alternating water or seltzer between alcoholic beverages.
“Skip the appetizers. If you need a little something before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa or a small handful of nuts.”
Bevan and her staff also recommend thinking out of the box when it comes to kick starting and maintaining fitness goals.
“Use every opportunity to burn off a few calories,” she says. “Get creative. Combine housework with exercise by doing a few lunges as you take out the trash … or 20 wall push-ups after you make the bed. Power walk in the mall while shopping. Every little bit counts.”
Most of all … don’t give up, Bevan emphasizes.
“If you have a few slipups along the way, it’s OK. Don’t give in to all-or-nothing thinking.”
GPCC is located at 2910 Jolly Road, Plymouth Meeting, and offers numerous health and fitness programs for all ages, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. All classes are held in GPCC’s state-of-the-art fitness and aquatics centers and gymnasiums. The complex’s Active Zone is customized for 7- to 14-year-olds and contains nine pieces of strength equipment as well as interactive virtual reality games like PS3 Move, Wii Fit and Xbox Kinect. GPCC’s men’s and women’s locker rooms include individual private showers, storage and vanity areas and special changing rooms for families and clients needing assistance. Babysitting is available.
Specific details about GPCC classes and programs are available at www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org[3] and 610-277-4312. Continued...[4]
Information about fitness programs at Conshohocken’s Fellowship House is available at www.thefellowshiphouse.org[6] and 610-828-3266.
[5]
The fitness and wellness pros at Greater Plymouth Community Center maintain that many of the tips they offered clients during the winter holidays are equally effective year-round.
For starters …
“Early morning workouts fire up your metabolism and set you on the right track to making healthier choices throughout the day,” says GPCC Fitness Manager Mary Ann Bevan.
And holiday time or not, “squeezing in an early morning workout will not only give you more time to do the things you need to get done later but will also give you more energy to do them.”
Regardless, “a quick workout is better than no workout,” the GPCC staffer continues. “If you don’t have a lot of time to spend at the gym, try interval training. It adds short bursts of intensity that fires up your metabolism and fast-tracks results. It can be done with just about any piece of cardio equipment. You can even add strength training into the mix.”
As a bonus, you’ll probably “improve your mood and reduce anxiety or stress ...”
Bevan’s advice for avoiding overindulgence at holiday gatherings works just as well for parties at any time of year.
“To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter and whipped cream — [which] don’t add much to the meal but can add plenty to your waistline,” she notes. “Trim calories wherever you can [so you feel] satisfied but not stuffed.
“Chew gum. When you don’t want to eat, pop a piece of sugarless gum into your mouth. This works well when you’re cooking or when you’re trying not to dive into the buffet.
“If you don’t love it, don’t eat it. Scan [a party] buffet for foods you truly love and skip the everyday dishes that are available all year long.
“Don’t skip meals. Always eat normally on the day of a party. People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there. Eating sensibly throughout the day will take the edge off the appetite. Start with a nourishing breakfast, have a light lunch and, then, a small snack or salad shortly before the event.
“Try to alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories. Cut your alcohol calories in half by alternating water or seltzer between alcoholic beverages.
“Skip the appetizers. If you need a little something before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa or a small handful of nuts.”
Bevan and her staff also recommend thinking out of the box when it comes to kick starting and maintaining fitness goals.
“Use every opportunity to burn off a few calories,” she says. “Get creative. Combine housework with exercise by doing a few lunges as you take out the trash … or 20 wall push-ups after you make the bed. Power walk in the mall while shopping. Every little bit counts.”
Most of all … don’t give up, Bevan emphasizes.
“If you have a few slipups along the way, it’s OK. Don’t give in to all-or-nothing thinking.”
GPCC is located at 2910 Jolly Road, Plymouth Meeting, and offers numerous health and fitness programs for all ages, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. All classes are held in GPCC’s state-of-the-art fitness and aquatics centers and gymnasiums. The complex’s Active Zone is customized for 7- to 14-year-olds and contains nine pieces of strength equipment as well as interactive virtual reality games like PS3 Move, Wii Fit and Xbox Kinect. GPCC’s men’s and women’s locker rooms include individual private showers, storage and vanity areas and special changing rooms for families and clients needing assistance. Babysitting is available.
Specific details about GPCC classes and programs are available at www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org[7] and 610-277-4312.
Information about fitness programs offered by Whitemarsh Township is available at www.whitemarshparks.org[8] and 610-828-7276.
Information about fitness programs at Conshohocken’s Fellowship House is available at www.thefellowshiphouse.org[9] and 610-828-3266.
References
- ^ View and purchase photos (montgomerynews.mycapture.com)
- ^ Continued... (www.montgomerynews.com)
- ^ www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org (www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org)
- ^ Continued... (www.montgomerynews.com)
- ^ www.whitemarshparks.org (www.whitemarshparks.org)
- ^ www.thefellowshiphouse.org (www.thefellowshiphouse.org)
- ^ www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org (www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org)
- ^ www.whitemarshparks.org (www.whitemarshparks.org)
- ^ www.thefellowshiphouse.org (www.thefellowshiphouse.org)
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