How Boomers Battle Holiday Weight Gain with Style and Grace

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time for most of us to focus on getting rid of any extra pounds gained over the holiday season.  On average, there is more weight gain in the last quarter of the year than the other 3 quarters combined due to the holidays that fall in October through December.  Weight gain averages fall somewhere between 2 to 7 pounds and set up the reason for New Year’s resolutions.  Overall, even if there is a minimal weight gain of 2 pounds a year, compounded over just 10 years individuals will experience an overwhelming “tightening of the belt” of 20 pounds!

Smart and ambitious Baby Boomers living in the best master planned communities know the solution, MODERATION AND EXERCISE.   With many communities offering a state-of-art fitness center, working out is easy when the facility is readily accessible. By making smart food and drink choices, people trying to stay in shape at retirement can avoid the unnecessary scale upload by following some simple yet rational guidelines.  

Here's a few suggestions to help:

• Before attending a social club event, eat a healthy snack.  Instead of starving before a function, try eating some veggies with hummus, a salad or a bowl of healthy soup to curb the temptation to indulge in calorie laden options often available at parties.  Drinking water is also a way to help insure that making multiple trips to the buffet is unnecessary.  
• When attending a cocktail party, fill up the plate with veggies, shrimp cocktail, and healthy options before the main event.  And also, try to make it a “one plate” trip to insure that overeating is curtailed.
• Focus on the social aspect of an event, AND there are no calories to boot! Be active, try going ice skating or bowling with the family to burn some extra calories while bonding with loved ones.  Maybe find a workout buddy that can help keep you on track at your community’s fitness center during the New Year.
• Get moving and try exercising in small boosts to maintain a regular routine.  Split 30 minute workouts into 2 sessions.  Try doing 15 minutes of strength training in the morning and 15 minutes of cardio at night.  That will help allow exercise to continue and make it more doable.  Add additional workouts to burn off any excessive calories consumed, remember, “calories in/calories out”.
• Learn to “say no” when attending events, “the food was delicious but I am stuffed”.  Offer to help clean up at the party as a kind gesture and a way to burn a few extra calories.  If the host is persistent, take leftovers home to enjoy the next day.
• Eat Conscientiously -Studies have shown that people who sit in a well-lit location, take smaller bites, and chew their food thoroughly are less likely to overeat. Aim to chew each bite at least 10 times before swallowing. When slowing down to eat, the body has time to take in the tastes, scents, and textures of the food, which makes the experience more satisfying.  Taking the time to enjoy the meal will minimize overindulgence.
• Always try to reduce temptation by staying away from the buffet table, snacks at work, or always keep one hand “busy” with a healthy glass of water or seltzer which will reduce the ability to gorge on extra calories.
• Keep a food diary to track calories, it will help accountability when trying to lose weight.
• Don’t skip on sleep…it’s very important to get the right amount of “zzzzzz’s” to keep the body in tip-top shape.  Try to get at least 7 hours daily to keep the body rested and healthy.
• Finally, when imbibing during the social events, remember alcohol is full of empty calories and can cause weight gain without even stopping at the buffet table.  

When it comes to reducing weight gain in 2015 at retirement, exercise is the number one component that will keep Baby Boomers in check at the best master planned communities.  Set up realistic fitness goals and stick to them. If you exercise three times a week and eat a relatively healthy diet, results are possible without placing too much demand on an already hectic lifestyle.  Balance the extra caloric intake with an extra workout or two for the week.  Remember, calories consumed add up, so insure that the workout routine “burns” the excess food intake throughout the year to avoid weight gain.  

Don’t get discouraged if the scale doesn’t budge at first, patience and persistence are “key” when getting in shape in the New Year.   If weight loss is a goal in 2015, get started early and start slowly to prevent injuries. Here are some impressive gated communities that offer many fitness options from “state-of-the-art” gyms to indoor heated pools.  Fitness classes of all varieties, spa services and amazing outdoor activities are available to enjoy the beautiful scenery these areas have to offer.  

Seabrook Island Lake House and Fitness Center, in Charleston, South Carolina - Built in 2009, the 26,000 square foot fitness center overlooks a tranquil lake. The zero-entry outdoor heated swimming pool and children’s playground are adjacent to the building. State of the art fitness equipment includes Precor, Matrix, Nautilus and Life Fitness. Group fitness classes offered include Pilates, yoga and aquatic aerobics. A beachside swimming pool and poolside cafe are located at the Seabrook Island Beach Club. The retirement community also has one of the best racquet and tennis clubs in South Carolina. Membership is private and the cost for a social membership allowing access to the fitness club is $3,048 per year. 

The Landings Oakridge Fitness and Wellness Center, in Savannah Georgia - Expanded in 2009, the 48,000 square foot facility is equipped with state of the art Cybex and Precor fitness equipment. The facility has two indoor swimming pools, one outdoor pool, a hot tub, steam rooms and an aerobics studio. Pools include the outdoor Franklin Creek Pool geared towards families and the adult Marshwood Pool offering cabana and pool service. Personal trainers, estheticians, massage therapists and physical therapy are available at the club. Membership is private and the cost for a social membership is $2,282 per year not including golf. 

Brunswick Forest Fitness and Wellness Center,  in Leland, North Carolina- Built in 2008, the 18,000 square foot resort-style fitness center just south of downtown Wilmington North Carolina has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, aerobics studio, a fully equipment work out room with resistance and cardiovascular equipment, ladies and men’s lockers, steam showers, saunas and a juice bar. Fitness classes include spinning, Pilates, yoga and Zumba. Low impact classes include an Aqua Pump workout class in the swimming pool. The wellness center is staffed with personal trainers, swim instructors, a nutritionist and a massage therapist is available by appointment. Buyers searching for Wilmington NC real estate will find the Brunswick Forest Fitness and Wellness Center is private and only accessible to property owners. The annual HOA dues for Brunswick Forest which includes access to amenities is $2,160 per year and does not include the Cape Fear National golf course.

Tellico Village Wellness Center, in Loudon Tennessee - Built in 2007, the 26,000 square foot fitness center in Eastern Tennessee is seated up on hill and has expansive views of the Great Smoky Mountains. Two indoor swimming pools allow for aquatic training in the lap swimming pool and warm water therapy pool. The large exercise room has weight equipment, free weights and an indoor walking track. The two fitness class studios offer aerobics classes such as yoga, Zumba and Tai Chi. The facility has full service ladies and men’s locker rooms and saunas. The Tellico Village Wellness Center is open to the public and the cost for a family membership is inexpensive at $485 a year. It's one of the finest Tennessee communities to enjoy at retirement.

Spring Island Sports Complex in Okatie, South Carolina – features a new 13,000 Sports Complex right in the heart of Walker Landing, offering a full complement of weight machines, a large free-weight area, recumbent and stationary bikes, exercise balls, treadmills, elliptical trainers as well as a heated lap pool.    There are two studios, one for pilates and dance aerobics and a more peaceful setting is offered for yoga classes.  In addition to fitness classes for all ages and fitness levels, personal trainers are on site for those looking for one-on-one attention.  There are also locker facilities and private treatment rooms for both massage and fitness therapy.   Six Har-Tru tennis courts, Pro Shop and croquet can also be found here.

The Cliffs Valley Health & Wellness Center in Travelers Rest, South Carolina boasts a superb 15,000 square foot wellness center with a state-of-the-art workout room featuring a TRUE stretch machine, Smith machine, cable strength training station, treadmill and elliptical machines as well as stretching equipment, and exercise bicycles.  Club members can also enjoy a multitude of fitness classes as well as private training sessions.  There is an indoor heated lap pool, outdoor pool, relaxing hot tub and aquatic classes as well.  For outdoor enthusiasts there is hiking, biking and walking trails throughout the community with protected parks, national forests and cascading waterfalls to enjoy the scenery offered here.  As an added bonus, all seven Cliff communities are joined in one membership giving every resident access to every amenity offered by each individual community.

When choosing the right workout, it’s good to know how many calories are expended while whittling away the waistline.  Here are a few numbers to help balance the workouts with the indulgences at the best master planned communities.  These numbers represent the calories burned by a 155 lb. person for 30 minutes according to Harvard Health, and are based on-an-average, true calories expended may vary:

• Weight Lifting – General – 112 calories (125lbs – 90)
• Walking – 3.5 mph – 149 calories (125lbs – 120)
• Water Aerobics-149 calories (125lbs – 120)
• Stretching/Hatha Yoga – 149 calories (125lbs – 120)
• Low-Impact Aerobics – 205 calories (125lbs – 165)
• Stair Step Machine – 223 calories (125lbs – 180)
• Stationery Biking – moderate – 260 calories (125lbs – 210)
• Circuit Training – General – 298 calories (125lbs – 240)
• Elliptical Trainer – 335 calories (125lbs – 270)
• Ski Machine – 353 calories (125lbs – 285)

Avoid weight gain in 2015 at retirement by visiting one of these spectacular facilities to see their top notch fitness center that make it possible to enjoy a happy and HEALTHY lifestyle within the neighborhood. There are many more. When exercise options are available, individuals find it much easier to make their fitness goals a reality especially within a friendly gated community.

If fitness is important to you, check out more fitness conscious communities on our website.