Fit 219: Things to do to with Halloween candy, Training myths that keep you from your best body and Holiday Time motivation.

Creative things to do with Halloween candy, Training myths that ruin your chance at results,  and Stay Motivated this Holiday Time.

NUTRITION
Ever wonder what to do with leftover Halloween candy? Besides eat it all, LOL!

Here’s a few great ideas that help others and your waistline!

1. • Donate it.
     Click here to learn how to donate to our troops, the Ronald McDonald House, and food pantries.
     

1. • Sell it to Dentists. 
     Pediatric dentists often have a “buy back” program that rewards kids for turning in candy. Our local dentists then send it to the troops and other needing organizations.  Search Google for “dentists buying candy” to find ones participating in your area.  You don’t have to make your kids give all of it away, but it would be a good lesson to teach them to give when they have an abundance! And just in time for the holidays too! Maybe they won’t ask Santa for too much!
     
     Click here for Halloween Candy Buy Back Programs in your area.

1. • Create Art.
     There are do many creative ways to make mosaics out of the hard candy.  Check youtube for DIYs!! Be sure to shallack it or seal it with ModPodge or glue to prevent bugs! You can also make jewelry such as necklaces or bracelets. These make great gifts for the kids to give!
     

1. • Save it for Christmas.
     Freeze the chocolate and use it for your holiday baking. Think about how special and  yummy will those cookies be with real Reeses Cups or Butterfinger pieces! It’ll be something for the kids to look forward too as well!

• Make it Nutritious.
  Have the kids help with this. They can set aside things like M&Ms, Hersey Kisses or bars and you can make a (semi) healthy snack when you mix them with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, pretzels. Pre-package the treats in mini-ziploc bags or plastic containers then grab & go!
• Keep it small-Once last choice is to review the calories of the candies we’ve gone over in the last few podcasts and choose up to 200 calories for a snack or dessert on the weekend, hey ya gotta enjoy life, right!

TRAINING

Still more muscle myths!

1. Myth: Cardio is Best to Burn Fat
Still a strongly held myth especially around holiday time! Cardio may burn more calories than resistance training during the workout, [unless you push it with multi-joint exercises using a  challenging weight and very little rest]  lifting weights torches more fat overall. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, published a study in which they found that women who completed an hour-long strength-training workout burned an average of 100 more calories in the 24 hours afterward than those who skipped the weights. The more muscle on the body, the more fat burned.

2. Myth Cables and Resistance Bands are Best [better than weights] for Getting Toned 
Who made this up? The same folks who say weights make you bulky? There’s no real basis for this myth. All three methods work! You can mix it up, but ultimately, it’s the form, execution, plan  and consistency that will make your body change.

3. Myth: Lunges Burn Fat from Your Hips and Butt 
You can’t spot reduce!  Sure you can strengthen and tone your legs with squats and lunges, but you’ll never see the shape if you don’t eat properly!  Fat is burned systematically or from all parts of your body. So despite focusing on training one muscle group, you can’t fool your body into using fat from one specific area.

4. Myth: Leg extensions are safer for your knees than squats. 

Most of the time squats are safer for your knees than leg extensions!  A recent study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that single joint exercises (ie “open-chain”), such as the leg extension—are potentially more dangerous than multi-joint exercises (ie “closed-chain”) such as the squat and the leg press. The study found that leg extensions activate your quadriceps muscles slightly independently of each other, and just a 5-millisecond difference in activation causes uneven compression between the patella (kneecap) and thighbone. Since the knee joint is controlled by the quadriceps and the hamstrings, the leg extension can contribute further to muscle imbalances. Learn to do squats and lunges properly for greatest benefit to your knees and body!

MOTIVATION

What is your holiday plan?  Do you forget about losing weight until new year or do you stay focused, but give yourself some slack. Let me know on the facebook page or email me, make yourself accountable to your plan! Quickfit Club Workouts this month enable you to get in 5-8 minutes or 30-35 depending on your schedule.  Do what  you can, when you can for best results!

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Fit 219: Things to do to with Halloween candy, Training myths that keep you from your best body and Holiday Time motivation.


 

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