I met Heather Dorak at a women's entrepreneur event in Santa Monica and loved her energy and knowledge about all things health and fitness. She's the founder of Pilates Platinum in Los Angeles and the perfect person to share some tips on how to stay fit during the holiday season. Read on for her expert advice...
1. Make the Most of Your Time
Time seems to escape us around the holiday season so make the best of your limited free time. Prep your breakfast the night before by portioning out granola and fruit into mason jars. Add some greek yogurt and milk and throw it in the refrigerator. In the morning your overnight oats are ready to go so you can get out the door quickly! Another idea is to whip up a batch of steel cut oats in advance. Make them in large quantities, put in a muffin pan and freeze to save time. Creating more time will give you the option to workout in the morning or evening or to even get more sleep!
2. Be in Control of You
Stress, family, events, weather and work can all feel overwhelming during holiday time. Focus on taking a hold of what you can do for yourself to keep things in control. If your evenings seem to be busy, workout in the morning. Ask yourself, "Are you going to feel better after you work out or do you need to get more sleep?" Even if you're not a morning person, try getting yourself to the gym in the am. Exercise releases endorphins that naturally uplift your mood to keep you feeling positive and productive throughout the day.
3. Stay Fit With These Quick Fat Burning Workouts
It takes as little as 10 minutes to get in a heart pumping workout. Below are some of my favorites.
Heart Pumping Workout
Perform 10 Burpees followed by a 20 second rest, repeat 10 times
Legs on Fire
For 20 seconds you will be working, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
First minute looks like this: 20 seconds of jump squats, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds of lunges, 10 seconds rest. Repeat 9 more times until you reach 10 minutes of activity.
Burning Abs
30 seconds plank, 30 seconds sit ups - repeat 5 times
30 seconds bicycles, 30 seconds windshield wipers
4. Keep Snacks on Hand
Events and family gatherings always revolve around food this time of year. Eat healthy snacks such as nuts, kale chips, rice cakes, vegetables or fruits before a party so you don't fill up on unhealthy alternatives served there.
5. Give Your Body Rest
Give yourself a break from this frenetic time of year through short moments of relaxation. If you're constantly on the go, rest may be a better option for you than squeezing in a workout. Keeping yourself well rested and taking moments to acknowledge your overloaded mind make all the difference. Try taking these moments of relaxation before getting out of bed or going to sleep, while making a meal, driving, or using the restroom. Meditating even a few minutes daily will help you hit the reset button--your body and mind will thank you!
It's important to keep the holidays healthy and full of laughter and love. These tips will help you to stay on track and maintain your health and fitness goals through the new year!
Heather Dorak is the founder and owner of Pilates Platinum in Los Angeles. Her passion for health and fitness inspired her to open her first studio in Hollywood in 2006 with the goal in mind to introduce this incredible full body workout to the community. The phenomenon caught on very quickly so Heather expanded her business and opened studios in Brentwood, Venice Beach and most recently Santa Monica. Heather is a strong believer that a balanced and healthy life can be both energizing and healing. Find more about Heather and Pilates Platinum at www.pilatesplatinum.com.