With all of the parties and get-togethers during the holiday season, the temptation to overindulge in rich foods is a strong one. Add to this more stress and little motivation to exercise, and the end result can be extra pounds by Jan. 1. However, those added pounds can be avoided by using a strategic approach to the holidays, according to Charleston Air Force Base Fitness and Sports director Steve Parrish. Within a week you can eat so much food high in fat and sugar, your body is in overload.
Many people travel out of town for the holidays.
This doesn't mean abandoning your health program, Parrish said. Another strategy involves the road trip itself. Rather than pressing on for hundreds of miles, drinking coffee and eating sweets, Parrish suggested pulling over to a rest area every 100 miles or so and walking for 10-15 minutes. If you are traveling with your children, get out and throw a football or jump rope with the kids. Get in your car and map out a route, or see if there's a park, high school or college stadium with a running track in the area.