10 Ways to Keep Off the Holiday Pounds (While Still Having Fun!)

It's that time of year again!  Those days between our Thanksgiving feasting and our New Year's binging that are full of delicious holiday treats, perhaps alcohol-laden beverages and holiday parties with lots of snacks.  This is the time of year when most of us put on a nice layer of padding that, while it may keep us warmer in the winter months ahead, none of us are too happy to see.  Who wants to give up our holiday fun and festivities when it really comes down to it, right?  So many of us rationalize our way into a bigger pants size every year.  Well, not this year!  Here's your guide to make it through this holiday season in the same pants size, while still having fun!

10.Plan Christmas Activities That Don't Revolve Around Eating

Cookie-making is an obvious and fun activity for Christmas, but the temptation is there to eat as many as you possibly can, especially during busy days where it's hard to find the time to cook healthy meals. Instead of spending days baking all kinds of calorie-heavy treats, consider doing some holiday crafts instead!  A hand-made ornament for the tree or hand-made Christmas cards are lovely holiday gifts that can be made in place of the traditional cookie plates.  Pinterest is a great resource for all kinds of holiday craft ideas and many are very simple and fun to do! Here are some craft ideas for your family to try together:

• paper snowflakes 
• making origami ornaments
• dried fruit ornaments
• stringing popcorn for your Christmas tree

9.  Take Advantage of the Snowy Weather

Despite the groans and complaints when the snow starts to fly, those of us living in areas that are lucky enough to get snow have the advantage of variety in our outdoor environment. Since variety is the spice of life, let's take advantage of it!  Whether it's going downhill or cross country skiing, winter hiking or snowshoeing, making a snowman or just taking a walk out there in our winter wonderland, getting out there in the snow to be active will not only burn calories from the act of doing whatever activity you've chosen, but just being out in the cold can burn calories simply by way of the body needing to heat itself.  Beyond that, being cold can increase your metabolism overall!  So go ahead, get out there and take advantage of the natural metabolism boost that you can gain from cold climates. 

8.  Go Caroling!

Taking a walk with a group of friends and singing Christmas carols is a quintessential Christmas activity that has mostly been lost in this day and age.  It not only gets you outside, which as we've already discussed is great for burning calories and boosting your metabolism, but walking is a great calorie burner, as well.  According to About Health, 

"A rule of thumb is 100 calories per mile are burned for a 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile for a 120-pound person"  

They also have a handy calculator for figuring out exactly how many calories you could be burning on your walk.  Most of all, you're creating fun holiday memories with your family and friends.

7.  Take a Walk (or Run) to Enjoy the Christmas Lights Instead of Driving

During this time of year, most of us venture out at least once to take a look at the Christmas light displays our neighbors have provided.  Why not take the opportunity to walk or run to see the Christmas lights instead?  In the Binghamton area, we have a group run planned to go enjoy Christmas lights as a group, but there's no reason you have to wait for someone else to plan this.  Don't forget that you'll want to dress in bright colors and reflective gear so that you're visible to drivers at night.


6.  Start Your New Year's Resolutions Early

There's no reason to wait that extra couple weeks to start in on your New Year's resolutions.  In fact, starting them immediately and then boosting your resolve when they New Year rolls around will encourage you to have at least a month of consistency with your resolution and more likelihood of keeping it up, long term.  It takes about a month of consistency to make a lifestyle change become a normal part of your life, but make sure to set reasonable goals.  Instead of broad or vague resolutions like "stop eating sugar" or "lose 10 lbs", try creating positive and smaller goal steps like "eat 5 kinds of vegetables per day".  It can also help to have a progressive plan where you add additional small goals over time to progress to your goal instead of trying to dive in headfirst.

Most areas also have a "Resolution Run": a 5k race planned on New Year's day (or sometimes New Year's Eve).  Starting a couple weeks ahead can give you a head start on being able to complete or compete in such an event.  Why not sign up now to keep you motivated to keep the calories down and the exercise up through the coming weeks?

5.  Sign up for That Event NOW, Not Later

I know, I know, most of us are a little short on cash this time of year.  Despite that fact, signing up for a spring event, whether it be your first 5k or half marathon, a triathlon, or a relay with your friends, it can be enough to motivate you to be mindful of your eating and exercise over the coming weeks and bring you through the New Year without a lot of weight gain. Remaining healthy is always an excellent use of your money.

4.  Think "Less" not "None"

It's a huge bummer to get to a holiday party and think "I'm not allowed to eat any of this."  Holiday willpower is hard enough, but add in an alcoholic drink or two and and suddenly it's completely out the window.  Instead, at that Christmas party buffet, consider just taking half a spoonful of the things you would normally want to eat and then mindfully savor every bite.  According to Mireille Guillano, author of the book French Women Don't Get Fat, the key is not to avoid the delights that life brings along, but to take a small amount and savor it slowly and fully.  Where we Americans tend to just shovel delicious things into our mouths faster, Guillano suggests taking tiny spoonfuls and focusing on really enjoying the flavor while it's in your mouth instead of immediately swallowing it in order to shovel in the next mouthful.  Mindfulness in eating can really slow you down and keep your calorie intake lower while still enjoying all your favorites this season.

3.  Eat a Healthy Snack Before Heading to That Holiday Party

This is really standard but great advice that we all need to remember during the holidays.  Arriving to a holiday party hungry is just inviting overindulgence.  The best way to combat this is to fill your stomach with some healthy alternatives before you go.  It doesn't need to consist of a full meal, but a healthy snack before you go can go a long way to help you wait a while before starting in on the buffet, while also making you more capable of serving yourself smaller portions. 

2.  Alternate Calorie-laden Drinks with Water

Most of us forget that calories taken in liquid form are still calories, but they can really pack a "punch".  Alcohol, itself, has 7 calories per gram.  That's more than carbohydrate or protein have, and nearly as many calories per gram as fat!  Most favorite holiday beverages, like egg nog or punch, include fat AND sugar in them, as well as alcohol.  Instead of continuously enjoying your favorite beverages at the holiday party, start with a tall glass of water, and then alternate a glass of your favorite calorie-laden drink with a glass of water.  Not only will this help you cut back on your calorie-intake, but it'll stave off the holiday-hangover, while still allowing you to enjoy your Christmas favorites.

1.  Use Exercise to Reduce Holiday Stress 

We all have it, this time of year: Holiday Stress!  With so many holiday preparations and parties, many of us become stressed out and exhausted by what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.  We forget that we need to take time for ourselves.  It's important to carve out time in your busy schedules to de-stress.  Whether it be a scheduled yoga class, a consistent group run, or just some time by yourself out in nature, it's important to think of yourself so that you can be relaxed and present for everyone else this time of year.

Your turn to share: What are your tips and tricks for keeping off the holiday pounds?

Why Everyone Should Run Cross Country

We’ve talked about being a real runner; all you have to do is race. But now, we’re gonna talk about how to become a REAL runner. Not just someone who laces up shoes and enters a race, but a REAL, hard core, old time, runner.

It’s simple (but definitely not easy):

Run a cross-country race. 

Better yet, be a part of a team. Get out there in the crisp autumn air, or maybe the cold, rainy, autumn air. Whatever the weather (in XC it doesn’t matter). Just try a race and you’ll be hooked.

image from http://ancientolympics.arts.kuleuven.be/

Cross-Country is the purest form of racing. The very first Olympics in 776 BC had one event, a race along a river. It was only about 200 meters long, but it was along a river, on the ground that the gods put there for the Ancient Greeks to use. 

Back in the day, when the church was the main social gathering place, people would have running races from one church to another (hence- steeplechase because churches have steeples) over whatever terrain was available. Over stone fences, through creeks, but rarely on roads (and the roads were basically dirt anyway unless you were somewhere where Rome had conquered and they were cobblestone).

According to English writers Montague Sherman and F.A.M. Webster cross-country took its organized form in England in the late 1800’s. They called the races “Paper-Chases” or cross-country steeplechases. Here’s how it worked:

A couple of runners called “hares” (hence the term harrier) would set out on a run and lay strips of cloth for the pack of runners, called hounds, to follow. The idea was that the first hound to catch the hare won! I got all that information from a book titled Cross-Country Running, by Marc Bloom 1978. 

image from http://www.artofmanliness.com/

So, now you know how the competitive aspect of the sport of running began, so go out and do it. Cross-country races are hard to find but we are lucky enough to have Confluence Running who not only can find you races but can provide an opportunity for you to be a part of a team. That is one part of running that most people who started running as adults never experienced.

Team pre-race huddles, post-race pictures, maybe even a uniform all make the painful  XC race worth it. I realize that some people are apprehensive about it but cross-country runners are the most supportive group out there. Get some friends (you only need five runners and extra are always welcome) and sign up for a race. If you REALLY want to have fun get a pair of spikes, but they certainly aren't required. Run over natural terrain, up and down hills, through a forest or nature preserve. It doesn't have the technical nature of trail runs. The idea isn’t to slow you down but to give you a natural challenge and a break from the same old 5K road race or the time consuming half-marathon and marathon training programs. 

I guarantee you’ll love it, “That was fun!” is a common post-race exclamation. You’ll also develop a very real respect for all those teenagers out there in the most popular high school sport in the nation. You’ll understand and appreciate what they go through every week. You’ll feel like a kid again when you run through the mud and come back in a condition where you can actually take a shower with your clothes ON! There was once a local high school race where it was so muddy they had to hose down the hallways of the school where the runners gathered after their races!

Check out www.SouthernTierCrossCountry.com for the STXC Series, form a team, and have some fun!

Thanks and thanks to Marc Bloom for a book I’ve read and re-read countless times. Oh, and thanks to my teammates for getting me through my first cross-country race in 30 years!

About the Author:

Michael Cordi has been a dedicated track and cross country coach for years, as well as an active and enthusiastic member of the running community in Binghamton, NY.

Confluence Kids!

We've got exciting news for kids and parents in the Southern Tier!  

Recently, Binghamton was listed as one of the most overweight cities in America.  We want to align with the city's initiative to promote health and fitness in its citizens.  Our goal is to make it easy for parents to encourage a love of fitness for life in their kids through fun races and group fitness activities.  We've started a page on facebook to keep you updated on all the running and endurance related events for kids in the the Broome County area.  Along with that, we've posted a new kids-only endurance events calendar right on our website including lots of events that are totally free to participate in such as fun run races and group activities, to make it easy for parents to find events.  

When kids participate in fun endurance related events, it encourages self esteem and can-do attitude.  Why not try a few fun runs with your kids?  Many of these events are completely free of charge and available to anyone in the community.  Most of them have day-of sign-ups, so you can even do it last minute, if you suddenly find you have available time!

We have started a new Confluence Kids program of kids-only group runs with some health and wellness education tied in.  This is a great opportunity for kids in the Southern Tier to not only get fit, but learn about their bodies, training, and general wellness. Not only that, but associated with the Confluence Kids events, we'll be holding a Beginner Group Run/Walk.  What better way to encourage your kids to be healthy than for you, as a parent, to work toward good health, yourself?  The Beginner Group Run/Walk will have a goal of two miles, and all abilities are welcome.  No runner left behind. We hope to see you there!

We've also started a Marathon Miles program for kids participating in Confluence Kids!  Come to any Confluence Kids event and you can participate in the Marathon Miles program by getting stamps on your Marathon Miles card.  Every time you fill up enough boxes to get to one of the pictures, just bring it in to Confluence Running and claim your prize!

Why I Run: Bridging the Gap to Fitness

Flipping through my mental rolodex to the afternoon of February 24th 2012 as I stood on a scale in my doctors office watching in horror while the nurse continue to slide the weight on the scale higher and higher. The weight kept climbing like the thermometer on a summer afternoon. Two hundred pounds, two hundred and fifty, finally the mercury stopped at three hundred and eight pounds. I was mortified!

That afternoon while sulking and depressed I made a life altering decision to lose weight. The very next day drastic change came to my diet. I began to walk six miles a day five days a week and slowly things began to change for me. My body started feeling better. The digestive issues I had been having were suddenly gone. I began to have more energy and my walking began to speed up.

Fast forward to an afternoon in late April as I returned from the local Agway where I had purchased some fertilizer for our lawn. After lifting these extremely heavy bags from my car I happened to notice that each bag weighed forty five pounds. Taking a step back, standing there in amazement it had just hit me: I, myself had lost forty five pounds. Lifting those bags of fertilizer really put things into perspective for me.

Joe becomes a runner in his first 5k, 2012

A week later several friends had begun to push me to run a 5K race. Now, I had not run since playing high school lacrosse twenty two years prior. I was resisting all I could but my curiosity would eventually get the best of me. Our family registered for the Binghamton Bridge Run 5K as we had planned to walk it. Race day finally arrived and upon our arrival the half marathoners had just begun to come in. The atmosphere was electrifying. I was so excited to be a part of what was going on but really having no clue what was going on. All I knew is that it felt good.

Now it was our turn and as we stood waiting for the gun my wife looked at me and said “You know you want to run.” I politely replied no I’m going to walk.  BANG, the gun goes off and the tightly packed crowd of runners begins to move. My wife looks at me and says again “You know you want to run” and I looked back with a huge smile and I was off. Mile one, I am feeling great as a gentle pat on my back gets my attention and WOOOSH, my thirteen year old son goes flying on by.

Now with the finish line in sight, my adrenaline pumping I noticed that most of the runners who
ran the half marathon were lined up along the finish line clapping and cheering the 5K runners as
we crossed the finish line. Wow, I thought to myself, what a sense of community.  Runners of all skill levels cheering and supporting one another. I was hooked!

My first ever 5K race was now complete, finishing in 35:19. The Binghamton Bridge Run sparked an entire new lifestyle. Today, September 2nd, 2014, I’m in training for my first ever marathon. On November 2nd 2014 I will be running the New York City Marathon.





About the Author:
Joe Geronimo is a father, husband, runner, photographer & throw in locomotive engineer for good measure.  He is also an active member of Triple Cities Runner's Club and Team Confluence.

You Might Be a Runner In Upstate NY if...

You Might be a Runner In 

Upstate NY if..

You know you're a runner in Upstate NY when..

1) You think it's normal to run in a blizzard.

2) You triple layer to go running.

3) You run in -5 degree weather.

4) You buy toe warmers to keep your feet warm in -5 degree weather.

5) You have learned from painful experience the value of a wind-blocking base layer. 

6) You own completely separate running clothes for summer and winter.

7) You can't remember the last time you ran in shorts.

8) You have an unhealthy love affair with thumb-holes. 

9) You get excited when you see temperatures of 25+ on the 10-day weather forecast.

10) You know the difference between Balaclava and Baklava.

11) You're gloves often become soaked.. but not from sweat (runny nose anyone?)

12) You break out your trail shoes when the roads get snowy/icy for some extra foot warmth and traction.

13) You know Yaktrax aren't what you use to find a lost yak.

14) You're eyelashes have frozen.

15) You'd take snow on a run any day over rain, and twice on Sundays.

16) You've have experienced a 'snow' beard (yes, even women). 

17) You know there is no silence more gratifying than that which comes when running alone through the streets in the snow, your footsteps dampened by the layer on the ground and all sane people are huddled inside, leaving the roads car-free.

Read more in Binghamton Runs

For Information on Upcoming Events : 

Binghamton Healthy Run Events - Confluence Running

Ithaca Healthy Run Events - Finger Lakes Running

Welcome----BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK's RUNNING STORE

Welcome!  This is the Confluence Running Blog.  We will have Good Nutritional Recipes, Bio-Mechanic Advice, Strength Training Advice, Product descriptions, and Event updates.  Stay tuned!

My name is Cole Crosby and I am one of the main sales associates at Confluence Running located in Binghamton, NY.  We are very excited to be open for business and so far I have enjoyed meeting those of the local Binghamton community and look forward to working with everyone.  If you have not seen our store, please come on in. Our address is 46 S. Washington Street located right off of the Vestal Parkway next door to Thirsty's Bar and near the Number 5, Whole In the Wall, and Sweet Frog. 


Our store features great running apparel, hydration products, nutrition products, the best socks in town, sport bras, some cycling accessories, shoe inserts, and of course the most exclusive wall of shoes you have ever seen. 

Confluence Running

 

Come check us out today!