Curves of Hayesville Helps Residents Say Goodbye to Holiday Weight Gain

CALENDAR Local fitness franchise offers strategies on how to stay healthy this holiday Hayesville, NC (Grassroots Newswire) December 26, 2007 - With the holidays now here, visions of cookies, cakes and sugar plums bring great cheer. However, you might not be so excited when you realize it will take one and a half hours climbing stairs, three and a half hours cleaning the house, or two and a half hours riding your bike to burn off one 6-ounce slice of cheesecake. Thinking in these terms is one of the many strategies Curves members identify as useful in resisting excessive holiday temptation.

"The holidays -- in so many ways -- are about families gathering together to enjoy a feast of seasonal favorites, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. It's important to balance your desire to eat everything in sight with your desire to lose weight or get in shape," said Belinda Bradley, manager of Curves of Hayesville, located at 321 Highway 64 West.

Recently the women's fitness giant polled its all-female membership for a snapshot of how women approach health and fitness during the holidays. As it turned out, 99 percent of Curves members who responded stated that they have a defined strategy to maintain weight during the holidays -- a tactic that actually helps them stick to their goals.

Everyone is motivated by something different, so take a cue from successful Curves members, and choose a strategy that motivates you. Bradley offers Hayesville residents a few key tips in preventing holiday weight gain.

H Have a healthy pre-party snack. It is always a great idea to fill up on fiber-rich foods such as apples, raw vegetables or a slice of whole grain bread CALENDAR with peanut butter. Fiber adds bulk to your diet and keeps you fuller longer. This translates into more will power in the face of the buffet.

E Exercise. Seventy-five percent of the Curves members polled stated that they exercised the same amount if not more over the holidays. This is the key to weight management, because most holiday weight-gain can be prevented by sticking to your normal exercise routine. Quite simply, if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. So if you stop exercising and eat more over the holidays, you have put yourself in a prime position to pack on a few (or more) pounds.

A All things in moderation. For 37 percent of Curves members it was cookies, and for another 22 percent, fudge -- whatever your favorite holiday treat is, don't deprive yourself completely. This is a special time of year, and you should enjoy the heartwarming qualities of your favorite things . . . in moderation. Food for thought: Choose your one favorite goody ahead of time and eat it in a reasonable portion.

L Leftovers shouldn't stay over. Cookies left sitting on your countertop will relentlessly call your name all week long. If you have a party, send the leftovers home with guests. Or, take them to the office to share with colleagues.

T Time not eating should be cherished. Play cards, watch a classic holiday movie, tell stories by the fire, build a snowman, pick up a good book and relive memories with loved ones. These are the moments you treasure after the holidays are over.

H Hydrate. Drink water. If you are feeling the temptation to indulge, have a glass of water first. This can sometimes be enough to turn off your hunger pangs. Remember, water is always your CALENDAR best bet. Mixed drinks, punches, ciders and nogs are typically loaded with calories, so if you just can't stay out of the punchbowl, have a glass of water in between each drink. And remember, drinking alcohol will decrease your ability to keep a clear head at the buffet.

There are plenty of other things to worry about during the holidays than food and weight gain. Curves members -- the same ones who planned strategically for holiday health -- largely identified holiday finances (46 percent) as more stressful than holiday temptations (25 percent). Learn from their success, and plot your holiday plate for peace of mind.

For more information on Curves of Hayesville, please contact Belinda Bradley at 389-4272.

About Curves

Curves offers a 30-minute workout combining strength training and cardio through safe and effective hydraulic resistance. Curves also offers CurvesComplete.com: an online subscription diet and fitness solution based on founder Gary Heavin's New York Times bestselling book Curves, Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting and the results of an ongoing university study. Heavin and his wife Diane are considered the innovators of the express fitness phenomenon that has made exercise available to more than four million women worldwide. With more than 10,000 locations in dozens of countries, Curves is the world's largest fitness franchise. For more information, please visit: www.curves.com or www. curvescomplete.com.

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