Beat Those Extra Holiday Pounds NOW...

Can you believe that the holidays are just around the corner?!  Do you always fear that you will overeat at your holiday dinners and then, what happens:  those extra pounds will appear in places they do not belong to ever be in.  I have these thoughts at every holiday dinner.

This time of year can be very tough for all of us.  The one big battle that I hear about constantly is the fear of holiday weight gain.  Trust me, I fear it too.  I have no will power when it comes to my Aunt Seyna’s Thanksgiving stuffing, my Mom-Mom’s sweet potatoes, and my Mom’s delicious Hanukkah potato latkes and cookies.  Every year, I ask myself the same questions, “Is it all really worth it?  Do I need to gorge myself during these holiday meals?  What if I eat smaller portions or try giving up one side dish this season?”

I have learned that it is best to try to beat the holiday bulge now.  It has been estimated that people gain anywhere from 5-10 lbs during the holiday season.  Most people wait until after the damage is done to do anything about it.  Why do you think everyone’s New Year’s resolution is, “I MUST lose weight!”  There is a reason that every gym offers special promotions right after the holidays.  It is a guarantee for them that their sales will peak after January 1^st.  By acting now, we can all increase our metabolism and increase our lean body mass.  Make this holiday season fearless and the most enjoyable one yet!  Let’s not fear what we put in our mouths or how much weight we will gain.  Instead, check out some of my tips below to help you stay on track with your fitness and weight control during this holiday season.  Stay healthy, strong, and motivated this season!

• Keep your turkey to a serving about the size of your palm (approx 3 oz).

• Try to avoid most of the bread products as most are topped with butter or take a smaller portion eating it dry.

• Fill ¾ of you plate with vegetables

• Avoid high calorie drinks.

• Eat slowly, taking at least 20 minutes to eat your meal.  Try talking a lot or if you are like my family, we tend to sing songs, which slows up the meal. 

• When you are finished eating and you think you want seconds, wait 10 minutes.  BREATHE! Most of the time you will realize that you aren’t really hungry and you do not need seconds.

• Drink lots of water!!!

• Avoid the dark meat.  It tends to have more fat and has added calories.

• DO NOT eat the skin of the turkey.

• After your holiday dinner, take the family for a walk or do some other form of exercise that gets the heart pumping.  Remember you cannot burn fat and store fat at the same time.  By moving after your big meal, you will better utilize the calories you just consumed and offset any fat storage.

Remember to keep active trying to get at least 30 minutes of exercise 4-5 times a week. 

Also, remember that every once and a while it is ok and normal to splurge.  Just be true and honest to yourself.  Life is way too short to deprive your body so enjoy it to the fullest.  Tomorrow will always be a brand new day.  Keep the focus and you will find yourself ringing in the New Year remaining fit and healthy.

“You WILL thank me later.”

Stretch It Out

Do you know why stretching is an important part of any workout?  Do you stretch enough?  Have you ever thought of stretching when you are stressed out about something, need to release, or maybe just to do it?  

Stretching helps increase your flexibility and reduce your chances of injury.  It is very important to stretch after you've cooled down from any workout.  My personal favorite time to stretch happens right in my own home:  while I am thinking of new choreography or fun fitness tips to share with all of you, when I need to release my stress, relax my body, or even when I am just bored.  It is so rewarding to yourself, mind, and body.

I would like you to try stretching after a long weekend or a long day at work or even if your kid is napping.  Take just 5 minutes out of your day and try my, "Stretch It Out" routine.  I promise you will love it and you will find yourself doing it all the time.  Each stretch should feel good.  If you feel any pain, ease up and go slower.  Please click the link below to get started with my 5 minutes of "Stretch It Out", enjoy, and leave me a comment below so I know how well you did.  Good luck!

"Stretch It Out"

Dress The Part

I have lived in Los Angeles for 6 years now.  I, like every other person in Los Angeles came for the entertainment industry.  I can still clearly visualize my very first dance audition in Hollywood...

I was taking a dance class at the Edge Performing Arts Center earlier that week when I overheard some girls chatting about an upcoming Britney Spears audition,  "Did your Agent call you for Britney's audition?  Are you going?"  Of course, I continued to ease drop to get all the exact details about the audition so I could go as well.  Agent or no Agent...I was definitely making an appearance at this call.  Yes, I had only been in LA for a couple of weeks, but what did I have to lose... absolutely nothing?! 

During the next few days, I spent quality time with my sister, Dayna, my # 1 fan, who pumps me up for every audition.  We had our scheduled fashion shows and pep talks before the audition.  The fashion shows are always my favorite part, because Dayna raids my dance wardrobe to help me pick out the perfect outfit.  Finally, she always knows exactly what to say to pump me up so I step in on the right foot. 

On the day of the audition, I was so excited and ready for it.  I gave myself enough time to get dressed in my perfect outfit and to arrive extra early to warm up.  I wore my form fitting black jazz pants and a bright red leotard to help me stand out.  I got to the audition 45 minutes early just like I did at every audition when I lived in New York City.  "Where was everyone?  Am I am at the right place?  No line of dancers waiting to get the same job?  I know this is the right place."  Well, I waited patiently outside the door stretching and warming up.  Exactly 10 minutes before the audition was scheduled to begin, hundreds of female dancers finally got in the line behind me, except they all looked very different than I did.  I have never seen so many girls in the same place all wearing booty shorts and bikini tops.  "I mean why wear clothes at all?!  Did I miss part of the conversation as I was ease dropping finding out about the audition?  Was I suppose to wear this type of outfit?"  Every audition in New York City, all dancers wore dance clothes and we were judged by our talent and technique.  We definitely were not judged by what we wore.  Now of course I wanted to run and get out of that audition as quickly as I could before any of Britney's people saw me, but the next thing I heard was, "NEXT...headshot and resume, please." 

Obviously, my bright red leotard and black jazz pants did not land me this job.  Instead, it taught me a great lesson about auditioning in Los Angeles:  You gotta "Dress The Part!"  Now, with every audition and with every rehearsal, I always "Dress The Part."  For example, yesterday I started to rehearse with 2 talented friends of mine, Sam and Mark for an upcoming show.  The choreography is very smooth, tough, and macho.  I threw my hat and hoodie on to "Dress The Part."  It totally worked and made me feel great.  Another great tip that I have learned to do is keep an extra bag of clothes and shoes in the trunk of my car.  This way I have other options in the event that I get to an audition and I am dressed all wrong or I need something else that I wasn't told to bring with me.  It is better to be safer than sorry.  You just never know what to expect at an audition, callback, or even a class. 

So why am I sharing this with all of you?  Well, we all "Dress The Part" everyday for work, special events, etc.  Can you "Dress The Part" for your next workout at the gym or studio too?  It is helpful to wear clothes that make you feel more confident about yourself and your body.  This will actually make you work harder during each class.  I try my hardest to relay this message to my students.  It is fabulous seeing the "HOT Valley Moms" sporting cargo pants for Cardio Funk class.  I love it and I know it helps them feel funkier! 

The next time you decide to step into a new class at the gym or a local studio, try to "Dress The Part."  Treat every workout and class as an audition. You will learn the lesson too.

Here are a few of my favorite "Dress The Part" places:

1)  http://www.lululemon.com/

2)  http://www.reebok.com/US/#

3)  http://www.nike.com/

4)  Diva Boutique on Melrose

http://www.insiderpages.com/b/15240368319

5)  http://www.anatb.com/

6)  http://shop.nordstrom.com/