Happy and Healthy Holidays!

My last final was Monday, and with the semester ending so late I arrived home with the holidays nearly upon us.  For many people the winter holidays bring an unwanted gift: weight gain.  We eat more food, stay inside more, and take extended breaks from our normal training routines.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  Balance out your feasts with some winter sports such as skiing, sledding, or ice skating.  The fresh air alone is invigorating, but activities such as cross-country skiing are great exercise as well.  If you go tubing, skipping the rope pull and hauling the tube up the hill is sure to get you sweating.  Try ditching the snow blower as well for an additional calorie burn.

When it comes to food, the good news is that you don't have to deny yourself of every delicacy placed in front of you.  Sharing a nice long meal with friends, family, and relatives has health benefits too, even if dessert is one of the courses.  However, this is not in any way an excuse to pig out just because you are sharing a meal with loved ones.  The health benefits come from the laughter and conversation with company while savoring good food, not from gorging while ignoring everyone else.

And most of all, stay busy and active over break.  Long winters lead to eventual boredom for some people, but if you have goals and direction, you won't get the winter blues.  Although school's not in session and I don't have another wrestling match until late January, I've got plenty that I plan on doing over break.  Just a few of the items I want to accomplish are: helping out the coaches and wrestlers at the high school practices, volunteering at the kid's tournament, watching the Midland's Championships at Northwestern University and the National Duals in Springfield, IL, spending time with friends and family, relaxing, doing some more writing, and coming back to school in even better shape than when I left.

Merry Christmas,
Jeff