12 Days of Christmas

"From Home to Home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other."

-Emily Matthews

(My little Christmas tree I set up in my apartment this year!!)

My own 12 Days of Christmas...fitness style (feel free to sing along :) )

12 People Laughing

We had 12 people over last night to celebrate Christmas with my mom's side. Such a fun night complete with Beatle's Rockband and plenty of food to eat for the next year.

11 Almonds Roasting

11 almonds are about 100 calories and are heart-healthy, high protein, aid in weight loss and very filling. Don't forget tremendously delicious!

10 Dollars Saving

Save just $10/week. The average cost of a gym is about $40/month-only $10 a week. Could you buy the store brand milk and save your money to get that gym membership this year?

9 Dips for Dunking

2 tablespoons of salsa is only around 9 calories. It is a calorie-watchers best friend. What a great substitute for dunking, spreading and enjoying! Plus, it is complete with lycopenes (linked to prevent certain cancers) and chili-peppers (linked to anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-ulcer, and anti-bacteral)

8 Left and Counting

There are 8 days until New Year's. Is there a fitness/health goal you have for 2011? If not, you have 8 days to think of one! Having an attainable goal could be just what you need to get going. Don't start something without a plan in tact so you have motivation and accountability.

7 Mornings Filling

Eat breakfast 7 days a week. I sound like a broken record, but this is my favorite health rule! I absolutely love breakfast...I love rolling out of bed and going to get something delicious to eat. Too many dieters skip this meal in hopes of cutting calories and end up making big mistakes later on. More calories in the morning actually has been shown to cause you to eat less throughout the day. So have a protein-rich, fiber-full, delicious breakfast this Christmas morning!!

6 Days to Workout

Try to workout about 6 days a week (yes, we all need at least one day of rest or your body will hate you!) Not all of these need to be crazy intense-mix it up! Try some intervals, some yoga, some running/walking....whatever gets you going.

5 VEG-TAAAAA-BLES (yes, I tried to fit this one into the song-music isn't my strong point)

5 servings of vegetables a day. Don't pass up the veggie tray on your way to the chex mix. Be sure to make room for the fresh carrots, tomatoes and broccoli (and this doesn't mean drenched in ranch dressing...)

4 Cel-a-brating

All-in-all we actually celebrate Christmas 4 times. We do my mom's side (last night for the first time in a long time, so fun!), my immediate family on Christmas Eve, my parents and brother on Christmas day, and my dad's side the day after Christmas. Such a sweet time with family-I LOVE this time of year! Enjoy whatever your family/friends do for Christmas. This doesn't mean pile high your sweets-but it is ok to let loose a little bit.

3 Miles Waiting

3.11 miles is the length of a 5k. So you had one too many glasses of egg nog this year, make training for a 5k your New Year's Resolution!

2 Friends A-sharing

2 sweet South African friends came to the house last night. They shared a little bit about Christmas in their culture and how it is different there. Instead of Santa bringing gifts Christmas morning they draw names out of a hat and you have a "secret buddy" for the next year.

And a Baby Born this Christmas Day

1 baby born in a manger. Christmas cookies, pretty packages and spiced cider are nice but the real reason for this season is Jesus!

Merry Christmas :)

Megan