Davis Islands Today

By Mark Misner, Certified Personal Fitness Trainer

It feels like we are finally through those long, hot and humid days of summer. With November, comes wonderful weather. Unfortunately, it can also bring along a weight gain. Research has shown that most people gain 5-7 pounds during the long stretch of winter holidays. This hazardous season begins at Halloween, includes Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas and finally ends after Gasparilla and Valentine’s Day. Many people mistakenly think “I’ll start exercising after the holidays and then lose the extra weight.” Don’t allow yourself to fall victim, you do not have to follow such an ugly trend!

Here’s how to beat the holiday bulge in a few simple steps.

First of all, get moving and exercising now! With the better weather, there are no worthy excuses. It really requires very little investment (only a decent pair or walking/running shoes) to get out and walk, jog or run. Start slowly and progress in reasonable increments. Work yourself up to 30 to 45 minutes of heart pumping activity, three to five days per week. This will help keep off the extra pounds and also combat that extra stress that arrives this time of year.

Secondly, you must use the key mantra of MODERATION! The holidays are rich in traditions of incredible dining and delicious treats. Enjoy these wonderful tastes, just keep mindful of choosing small servings. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking “everything is good in moderation.” Too many small servings can quickly add up your caloric counts and sabotage your effort to eat healthy. As you take undersized “tastes” and “bites,” do so with an awareness of how much you are consuming in total. And don’t forget to include the calories you drink, many of the holiday punches and spirits are filled with empty calories.

Lastly, don’t punish or limit yourself to the point you do not enjoy the season. If you really want a cup of eggnog, go ahead and have a small cup, but forgo tasting the cookies or add an extra exercise session during the week. These straightforward actions will keep you on track to look and feel great through the holidays (and beyond!)

Fitness may protect the brain in early Alzheimer’s disease.

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The employees at International Plaza’s Banana Republic have been making meals and doing pantry drives for the Davis Islands Ronald McDonald House, but wanted to do something on a larger scale. They decided to hold a yard sale as a fundraiser, and just needed the right location. The Davis Islands Ronald McDonald House has a beautiful large yard, perfect for their yard sale, now scheduled for Saturday, November 8 from 9am – noon.

Store employees and house volunteers will clean out their closets and bring their treasures to the sale, and along with leftover items from the House and a few surprises. A good crowd is expected with some great deals for everyone. The public is invited to join us and find some bargains while raising funds for the Ronald McDonald House program.

For more information, contact Tampa RMH House Manager Betsy Wilkinson at (813) 254-2398, ext. 316 or email bwrmh[at]tampabay.rr.com.