Halloween Kicks Off Holiday Season Weight Gain, Sickness and Stress
 
October 15, 2009- Local Newton fat loss expert Mike Alves, LATC, CSCS, has information that every dieter needs to know: Halloween is the trigger to your end of the year weight gain, sickness and stress. This fun holiday is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and secretly kicks off the holiday season weight gain with its high calorie sugar treats that seem to be everywhere at all times and never goes away. It’s the holiday that starts early and lingers late. 
 
Alves says, “These little treats seem harmless due to their size, but at 100 calories a pop, those calories add up quick and let’s be honest, do you really have only 1 candy per day. Probably not, especially when you consider most people overbuy and then have to face thoughtful sharing from their peers, neighbors and family. Add up all these sweets and you can say goodbye to slim fitting waistlines and say hello to decreased work productivity and weight gain.” 
 
And this is only the beginning as the self sabotage holiday season continues with Thanksgiving and its socially acceptable overindulgence that extends into the weekend followed by the end of the year office, Christmas and New Years parties. What you end up with is “a perfect storm of overconsumption, minimal exercise, too little sleep, foolish stress and hard to break habits that inevitably leads to a month of resolutions and holiday induced sicknesses”, says Alves. 
 
But fear not. Coach Alves has 4 strategies to fight holiday season weight gain, sickness and stress before it starts and offers 2 fun ways to get a prevention jump start.
 
1)      Awareness: know that holiday parties and potential overindulgence exist and are the primary catalysts for weight gain, sickness and stress.
 
 
2)      Common Sense: buy only candy that you need and nothing more. Throw out the leftovers. Skip the parties or just say no thank you. 
 
 
3)      Themed Group Workouts: adopt new holiday habits by performing do anywhere workouts with friends using pumpkins, frozen turkeys and boxes filled with toys to add variety and remain in the seasonal spirit. 
 
4)      Burn & Earn: Burn calories before a meal so you can earn calories after a workout. Take it a step further by burning even more calories by exercising again after the meal with a “your last name, family walk or activity”.
 
 
Since breaking habits is hard to do and it’s even harder to go against traditional norms, the Pioneering Alves has created a Freaky Fat Loss Pumpkin Workout e-book and a charity boot camp event to help you get started. Join other people who desire to fight holiday season fatness and childhood obesity before they start by attending his 2nd Annual “Freaky Fat Loss Pumpkin Workout” on Friday, October 23, 2009 at 7:30pm at the Bishop Mackenzie Center in Newton Centre. 
 
The event features an interval training fat loss workout using pumpkins and your body weight while listening to Halloween themed soundtracks that will “scare the fat off of your body.” Following the workout, the fat fighters (you) will head over to Union Street for some “finger foods” and “spirits”. The admission fee is $20 and all proceeds go to the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club to help prevent childhood obesity through activity and education. To sign up and learn more visit, www.pumpkinworkouts.com. 
 
 
Mike Alves is the owner of Athletes by Alves and is a Licensed and Certified Athletic Trainer and a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with the Prestigious National Athletic Trainers Association and the Celebrated National Strength & Conditioning Association respectively. Coach Alves has over 10 years of professional experience, helping thousands of people change their bodies and improve their lifestyles. He currently runs the extremely popular Change Your Body Boot Camps (www.bootcampboston.com) in Newton, MA. 
 
 

13 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight.
__#13, Same Routine = Same Results; every 3-6 weeks you should mix it up.
__#12, Not Keeping a food & cardio journal; gotta keep records to beat records
__#11, Too Many Splurge Meals; 2 meals or 10% of your meals can be splurges (no sugar).
__#10, Drinking too much alcohol; save it for the splurges & no more than 3 drinks per week.
__#9, 1st: No sugar at all. 2nd, limit sugar free sweeteners to 1-2x/wk (save it for your splurges)
__#8, too many starchy carbs, not enough vegetables and fruits
__#7, not enough sleep: minimum of 7 hours
__#6, Drinking calories, and not enough water; 0.5oz / lb body weight / day
__#6, Not timing your meals; starchy carbs are best after a workout; veggies & fruits every meal
__#5, Eating too late: either nothing after 8pm or finish your last meal 3hrs before bedtime.
__#4, Not the right cardio: weight bearing, W=225-250min/wk, M=150-175min/wk; RPE=7-10
__#3, Not the right strength training: 2+ days/wk, total body circuits, minimal rest, fast paced.
__#2, Not eating best quality protein, fats & carbs @ every meal.
__#1, It’s a want, but not a must. You’re not ready yet.
by Mike Alves
p.s.  If you want to lose weight…, master this list!
p.p.s.  Once you reach your goal weight, you can reduce your cardio a bit & splurge 15% of your meals.  Still no sugars if you want to keep it off.