Avoid sugar and make workouts a priority: Tips to stay healthy over the holiday season

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11) - Cookies, wine and other goodies: Don't fall off the wagon because it's the holidays!

Fitness and health expert Latreal Mitchell joined us on Good Day LA to talk about avoiding sugar, making workout a priority and more:

1. Be a leader and set goals before the New Year! Remember you are not alone in wanting to stay trim during the holidays, actually you should want to be healthy all the time. Challenge yourself and set a goal to drop a pants size or dress size during the holiday. A goal will help you keep all of these tips in mind during the holiday.

2. Don't fall off the health wagon because it's the holidays. Continue to workout and eat healthy so when the time comes for you to have a little extra fun with food and drinks it will not affect your body or your mind.

3. Make your workouts a priority. I find that clients are quick to cancel a session or miss a workout because of a party. We make time for what's important, so lets figure out a way to get at least a 20-30 minute workout in at home or in the gym. You're worth it!

4. Avoid Sugar in drinks & food. I always say "Sugar is the Devil" during this time of year. Tons of sugary cookies and cakes are always being offered and it may be hard to say no but you should. Figure out what treat is worth it have one and don't over indulge. If you love cocktails, stay away from the sweet ones. I always recommend that my clients have tequila and soda with lime. If you are not an alcohol drinker, the same rules apply. Drink sparkling water with lime and stay away from soda and artificial sugar.

5. Don't make your plate ridiculously full because there is so much food around you. Take a small taste of everything, eat slowly (chew your food) and give your stomach time to send the signal to your brain that it's full. A HIIT routine, or High Intensity Interval Training, trains the anaerobic (going breathless) and the aerobic (steady state). Training this way is time efficient and can burn more calories in a 15-20 minute workout than you would running for an hour.

Always remember to warm up/foam roll etc. before exercise 4 rounds 30 sec work/10 sec Break (16 mins)

-Drop Squats
-Lateral Hops
-Modified 1/2 Explosive Push Up
-Plank Jacks
-Crab Reaches
-Alt Seated Knee Tuck

Latreal M. Mitchell is the Founder/Executive Director at Fitness Bunch Foundation, located at 8117 Manchester Ave. Ste. 618 in Playa Del Rey.

www.fitnessbunch.org + www.latrealmitchell.com

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