Nutritionize your Holiday!

The next couple of weeks are one of my favorite times of the year. It's when we get to sit back, relax, spend time with family and friends, reflect on the year we're completing, and of course Nutritionize! Personally, the past couple of months have been unbelievably busy at my day job, and to balance everything else I do, I've dropped my exercise routine to CrossFit twice a week, and soccer on Saturdays. It required a good deal of mental effort to not make myself wrong for that, and ignore the fear that dropping off of the 3 on/1 off schedule is going to cause my gut to instantly bust out like the Nutty Professor and undo all the gains I've achieved in the past 2 years. So far that hasn't happened. Fortunately, I've found that despite the crazy schedule, I've been living the Zoleo lifestyle with no issue and infrequent blow-its. Wherever I go, I can find something, because more and more eat-out places are offering healthy options that actually WORK. Sunday, I took my wife and girls to the new IHOP in Milpitas. I planned on blowing it, however I didn't have to that bad, because they now offer an entire menu of healthy stuff.  I chose the egg substitute, turkey bacon, 2 pancakes (c'mon, it's IHOP) and a bowl of fruit. It was great!

As you enter the holidays, if your exercise frequency drops, remember to maintain your Zoleo lifestyle. After all, nutrition is the foundation to health. Here are some tips to keep you on track during the holidays:

  • If you're at a party, sub bread/chips/grains with wine/meat/veggies and all the dressing or dip you want.
  • Dark chocolate is gluten-free! TJ's now has an 85% Dark that's very fruity and smooth. Have at it.
  • At a holiday dinner, load up on protein (meat, cheese, tofu). You'll probably take in plenty of hidden carbs from other places.
  • For carbs, get as many leafy greens and veggies as you can. If there aren't any, take in fruits. If you have to take in grains, then balance it with protein.
  • BLOW IT BIG, enjoy it, then get right back on!

Have a Happy Holiday!!

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** Food Drive Update **

Our Food Drive box was overflowing a couple of weeks ago, and Ritu brought it to the Milpitas Food Bank. They were ecstatic!  Thanks to everyone that donated. The box is still at the gym and filling up again, so I will be picking it up today or tomorrow for one more drop off. Please donate, and if possible contribute canned meats, thanks!

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Ritu Riyat is an applied yoga and mindfulness expert. She equips her clients with tools to reconnect with their bodies, eliminate stress, and make more informed decisions about their health and well being.

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2 thoughts on “Nutritionize your Holiday!

  1. December 24, 2009 at 8:56 am

    Thanks for making the effort to put those food drive boxes, I contributed canned fish…couldn’t find canned meat.

  2. AJ
    December 25, 2009 at 5:22 pm

    Thanks Smita, Merry Christmas!

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