MANAYUNK

Originally Published in Manayunk Magazine

By Shannon Geddes

Photography By Stephanie Nolt (snfoto.com)

The holiday season is just around the corner and with that comes the addicting appetizers, lavish meals, and endless amounts of calorie-packed spirits. Trying to stay fit and healthy on a regular basis can be challenging enough, but adding in all the holiday craziness makes it a little bit harder. Manayunk fitness studio owners give their insight on everything from tackling the holiday season in a healthy way to getting motivated to start the New Year off right.  

What’s the best approach to avoid over indulging during the holiday? As one who loves the holidays and all the delicious goodies that come with it, Kasey Manwaring, Owner and Trainer at Goal’s Fit, explains that she makes it a priority to exercise during the holidays. “To avoid, totally overdoing it, both with the wine and sweets at holiday parties, I will always set up a run with a friend for early the next morning,” Kasey said. “It gets me out of bed, works off the extra cookies and drinks, and most importantly will keep me from going overboard.”

Wondering what her favorite form of exercise is during the cold winter months? Believe it or not…running outside. Kasey explains, “I actually love the colder temperatures and how invigorating it is. The first 5 minutes may be tough, but you will be amazed at how quickly you warm up!”  Kasey suggests the best way to get motivated to exercise is finding a program that’s fun. By finding a fun program it will make it that much easier to go. She also suggests finding a program that challenges you and doesn’t get easier. Lastly, she believes in finding a program that encourages you to set a goal because having a goal in mind will always keep you working harder!

Juliet Sabella, Owner and Instructor at The Wall Cycling Studio, believes thebest piece of advice on getting fit for the New Year is to take it one goal at a time. She thinks New Year’s resolutions are great, but a lot of the time we over commit ourselves. “Set one goal and take it day by day. When you reach the milestone with the one goal, add something new on,” said Juliet. “You're going to have some really good days and also some really challenging ones. If you take it one day at a time, it's much more manageable than looking three months ahead.”

While the winter months can be tough to get motivated, Julie’s favorite form of exercise during the cold winter months is spinning and barre. If she’s not cycling at her own studio, she’ll head over to Goals Fit for their boot camp or to Joltin' Jabs for a good kick-boxing workout. But what’s her opinion on getting motivated to exercise when it’s this cold as well as eating right? “I like being on an endorphin overload! I just know I feel happier and more alert when I put healthy food into my body in combination with a daily workout session so that's my motivation right there,” said Juliet.  

Simple and small is what Liz Pagonis, Director of Outreach and Marketing at Philadelphia Runner,believes is the best advice on getting fit for the New Year. “Keep it simple and start small. A lot of people make really complicated, overzealous resolutions that are easy to break. Success takes time and consistency,” said Liz. Motivation can be tough, especially when it’s cold, but Liz believes you should make yourself a priority. “A lot of people feel like they don’t have time or make a list of excuses why they can’t work out or eat healthier, but you need to make the time and take it day by day,” she explained. As for Liz, her favorite form of exercise during the cold months is running of course. “Many people will work out inside, so during the cold months the paths are clear,” she said. “There’s a lot of great apparel, gear, and footwear options to keep you comfortable and warm outside.”

Ali Cook Jackson, Owner and Head Trainer at Never Give Up Training, has three things she tells all her clients during the holidays. First, she believes working out in the morning is best. “Not only will you burn more calories throughout the day, but you will feel better and not want to waste away all the hard work,” said Ali. Second, drinking lots of water helps with over indulging too. Drinking a lot of water before, during, and after meals will fill your stomach, therefore you won’t be thinking about food and overeat. Lastly, the best way to avoid over eating and drinking too much is to keep busy. “Help in the kitchen, take your dogs for a walk, play with your cousins, nieces and nephews, run errands or help decorate,” Ali said. “If you plop down in front of the TV, you will most likely be tempted to munch on things you probably shouldn’t!”

As for getting motivated to exercise, Ali believes that everyone finds motivation in different ways. “I always believe the best way to get motivated is to prove yourself wrong and surround yourself with inspiring individuals to motivate you and inspire you along the way,” she said. You need to be committed to proving to yourself that you are capable of accomplishing anything with the right instruction, inspiration, and support system. Ali then explains that you need to be able to find a place that you look forward to going to each day. “The people should be those who inspire you and who you love to be around, while the place should be somewhere you can’t wait to go back to,” she said. “You should look forward to your 45 minutes or an hour alone to concentrate on you and your goals.” 

How can one avoid over indulgence during the holiday? John Rosado, Trainer at Sweat Fitness, said to enjoy yourself, but wisely. He explains, “Allow for those must-have treats, but don’t have a binge fest. There’s no single meal that will wreck your lifestyle, so savor a bit of your favorites!” As for getting fit for the upcoming New Year, John encourages clients to set realistic fitness goals and to try not look at your relationship with food as a diet, but rather a lifestyle change. “Taking that first step can be challenging, but once you get started with a fitness routine, your endorphins kick into overdrive and you’ll feel better,” said John. John understands that everyone’s approach to getting motivated to get fit is going to be different. “Some people like to track their eating and fitness habits. Other’s prefer an old school method of keeping their own log. I often like to keep my gear out where I can see it,” he said, “It’s always good to reward yourself for reaching goals, too. Once you get started, you will feel better from eating healthy and have more energy from working out.”

Favorite Healthy Snacks At Holiday Parties

Check out how these fitness fanatics enjoy holiday snacks while still having fun!

Kasey Manwaring – Goal’s Fit

Kasey finds that if she starts with the cheese and dips she will always crave more so she’ll usually go for the hummus. Another favorite is seltzer with a splash of cranberry. “It’s super thirst quenching, tasty, and fills me up!” said Kasey.

Juliet Sabella – The Wall Cycling Studio

A lover of cookies and peanut butter, Julie likes to make a healthy-ish version of chocolate chip cookies with PB2 on top. PB2 has 40 calories per serving versus the typical 180 calories in regular peanut butter. As for drinks, Julie enjoys tequila with fresh squeezed lime, a splash of orange juice, and club soda. “This is my version of a super skinny margarita,” laughs Juliet.

Liz Pagonis – Philadelphia Runner

“There are so many cute broccoli trees and Santa fruit kabobs on Pinterest that add a healthy, festive touch to a holiday table,” explains Liz. Her current favorite is the Grinch Kabob - a green grape topped with a slice of banana and a strawberry. 

Ali Cook Jackson – Never Give Up

Ali has three favorite healthy, holiday snacks. An easy one to serve or have is veggies with hummus. For something that isn’t too generic, she suggests adding cinnamon to coconut-oil covered almonds. Her third and favorite healthy snack is zucchini chips. “They are such a great alternative to pigging out on potato chips at a party,” said Ali.

John Rosado – Sweat Fitness

Sometimes selecting healthier foods at a holiday party can be a little bit more challenging. John suggests bringing your own veggies or fruit salad with you to make sure you have a healthy option.