Happy Holidays without the Stress

Have you already begun counting down the final hours we have left to pick up our long list of gifts, bake those last few dozen cookies, stamp those last Christmas cards, get to every holiday party, volunteer for your favorite holiday charity and try to please everyone this holiday season?

The gears are spinning too fast! Holiday joy and peace? More like holiday stress! Where is the time to enjoy the hot chocolate and lights? Our holiday to-do list can easily pull us away from our health and fitness goals. As we work to please everyone and make this the most joyful of seasons, we watch our stress levels rise, our sleep disappear and the pounds pack on. What can we do? Cycleup and get in gear! Put your health on the to-do list. Plan your cycling sessions into your daily life.

Stress increases cortisol levels. High cortisol levels have been linked to obesity and may be a cause of holiday weight gain. Regular exercise tends to decrease cortisol levels and symptoms of stress. Aerobic exercise, like cycling, has the greatest effect on reducing cortisol levels. So get in gear, manage your stress with exercise and say goodbye to unwanted waistline bundles this year.

Cycleup 645-3060

Tips to Stay Healthy on the Golf Course

There's more to golf than your golf swing. Use common sense to lower your risk of injury.

Warm up. Before you golf, walk or jog for a few minutes. Then try a few gentle stretches.

Start slowly. Work up to your desired level of activity.

Think overall fitness. Include aerobic activity, stretching and strength training in your fitness routine.

Lift your clubs carefully. Keep your back straight and use the strength of your legs to lift your clubs and other heavy objects.

Protect your elbows. Know when to rest. At the first sign of elbow pain, take a break.

To keep your game on course, think prevention. Strengthen your forearm muscles. Use light weights or squeeze a tennis ball. Do some dynamic stretching (half swings) before you golf.

Fix your form. Ask an instructor to check your grip and swing technique.

Valencia Country Club 799-1271

Ending on a Healthy Note

With the holidays in full swing and Christmas right around the corner we once again find ourselves amidst the chaos of the holly-jolly season, when it's extra easy to get caught up and sacrifice our daily workouts. The number of "cheat days" usually mean any or every day and we slowly watch the scale numbers rise. Not only is this bad for your running, cycling, walking or cross fit routine, but it is bad for your whole holiday season. So many people rush hither and yonder but they allow no time to let the stress release. This leads to us "surviving" the Christmas season rather than enjoying it. So yes, we can be more busy than normal, the days may be darker, the ultra-tempting cookies are everywhere, but getting out, even if for only short workouts like a 20 to 30 minute run, will go a long way to making you Christmas season one to be enjoyed.

Runners Lane 260-3368