5 Things you can do to indulge during the holidays without getting the santa bod

Greetings from Buffalo Grove, Illinois.  My name is Kenneth (Kenny) Kells III and my business partner Daniel (Dan) Le and I own Experience Physical Therapy, LLC in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.  This is our very first blog and we could not be more excited.  Our blog #1 will discuss the holiday season and 5 things you can do to enjoy this time of year without becoming as belly-full as Santa.

1) Dancing: Here at Experience Physical Therapy, Dan loves to dance like there is no tomorrow.  Not only does dancing utilize large muscles like the gluts, hamstrings, and quads, it brings a smile to pretty much anyone’s face (except if you’re stuck with Kenny as your dance partner).

2) Documenting what you eat: This forces the individual to look at what they are eating.  Quite commonly, people will simply open the fridge and eat last night’s lasagna without a second thought.  When one documents what they ingest, they naturally will take longer deciding if they should eat or not (and this usually leads to a better outcome).

3) Sleep, sleep, sleep! The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but they can also be the most stressful.  Here at Experience Physical Therapy, we promote a lifestyle that is full of slumber.  7-9 hours are a must for mental clarity, happiness and also to prevent weight gain.  Check out the book, “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker for more useful and interesting information on the importance of sleep.

4) Create an eating window: Write down when you are going to eat during the day.  Don’t be like Dan who wakes up late in the night to steal Santa’s cookies.  Once you start adopting an eating schedule, you will be forced to control your mental cravings.

5) Move with your loved ones: When you have someone to move with, whether it be a walk or run or bike ride, it inherently makes the activity more enjoyable.  Dan loves to go on night time walks with his parents, and Kenny has a life long step count competition with his girlfriend.  Having a loved one involved in your exercise life makes you accountable and can act as a motivational tool.

Final thoughts: This year, please have fun, smile and be safe.  Eat your favorite foods, see your favorite people in a safe manner, and get some well deserved R&R!  At the end of the day, do not forget to MOVE!

Written by Kenneth G. Kells III, DPT