By Darcy Fugate, Personal Trainer, Tillamook YMCA
The holidays are almost here, filled with fun, family, fellowship and food. Lots of food and treats, which means that most of us gain a few pounds over the holidays. It’s hard not to and then we make that New Years Resolution and hope to drop those extra pounds. How about getting into a holiday workout routine that can help keep the pounds off, and you can still indulge in some holiday treats?
It is not uncommon for people to put on 5 pounds each year. Before we know it, we are 50 pounds heavier than we were in high school. What happened? For one thing, most of us are simply not as active as we once were. That translates to fewer calories being burned each day. If we aren’t careful about how many calories we take in, this can cause an energy imbalance which leads to weight gain.
As we age, we begin to lose muscle mass. That is, unless we perform weight-bearing or resistance exercise to offset that natural decline. Muscle tissue is very metabolically active. By having strong muscles, our body burns more calories, even at rest. Both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training are key to maintaining a healthy weight.
If you would like to stave off that holiday weight gain or maybe even lose weight during the holiday season, consider signing up for the “Holiday Trimmings” program at the Y. This 8-week program is designed to keep you on top of your game or get you into the holiday spirit of healthy living. It is free to Y members and only costs $25 for prospective members. (This does not include daily use fees of $7 per person.) Registration is open now through November 13th. Visit the front desk to sign up or to get more information.
The program runs November 13, 2017 – January 8, 2018 and includes a body composition assessment for weight, measurements, body fat, and BMI at the beginning and end of the 8 weeks with weekly weight check-ins.
Participants are provided with three workouts each week, emailed directly to them and which are also posted in the YMCA Fitness Center. The person with the highest percentage of body weight lost for men and women will be awarded a Fitbit! There are lots of chances to win with weekly participant drawings for prizes and bonus prizes for attending 10 different group fitness classes over the 8-weeks.
For more information, contact Info: Darcy Fugate dfugate@tillamookymca.org 503-842-9622 x112 608-436-0985