- December 25, 2024
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In the beginning of the year, I shared a very personal weight-loss goal with my readers. I have to admit that it has been a little harder than I thought, especially this last week with the departure of our beloved sports writer Andrew O’Brien for a ski vacation. I am convinced that he planned his trip exactly when playoffs were so that I would have to run around Flagler County and Ormond Beach to cover sporting events in addition to interviewing artists for the launch of the Observers Diversions section (see page 25.)
Thankfully, one Observer reader, Bernard Short — father of Matanzas High student Kayla Short, who made history a couple weeks ago taking second place at the girls weightlifting sectional meet — sent me some very helpful healthy eating and exercise tips.
I am going to share a few of those tips with you this week. My favorite, which is probably the hardest for me to remember of a crazy journalist schedule is “never starve yourself, you will only slow your metabolism and you will end up pigging out anyway.”
This is one of those things that I have always known, but working a full day on deadline and then driving to Ormond to cover a regional soccer match sometimes gets in the way of remembering it. The solution, Bernard said is to eat little meals/snacks every couple of hours. That way you are never starved and your metabolism keeps running.
Perfect! This week I fully intend to stock the bottom drawer of my desk, where I hide my k-cups for the office Keurig (shhh…. don’t tell my co-workers), with a stock pile full of yummy snacks. Of course, the reminder is to fill up with low calorie snacks — portion control snacks, low calorie popcorn and coffee instead of dessert. Something to think about next time my editor decides to surprise us with a box full of donuts at our story meeting. Good thing Andrew will be back this week to eat all my favorite donuts for me.
On the exercise front, Bernard reminded me that if I don’t make it to the gym for an hour and a half every day, it’s OK. Two to three times a week for 20 minutes is all you really need.
“If you are going to look and feel really good, you need to exercise your core/stomach muscles,” he wrote in an email to me. “Old fashioned sit-ups are still the best way.”
Oh boy. When I read this I started to have flash backs of middle school gym class. Laying on a mat on the hardwood floor at Indian Trails, staring at the bright lights suspended from the ceiling and hoping that the classmate holding my feet was paying enough attention to not miscount the number of sit ups I was actually doing.
But Bernard is right. We don’t have to get all fancy with it. Sometimes old fashioned is the way to go.
Matanzas exchange student needs a home
A host family is needed for a female exchange student who attends Matanzas High School. Host families provide a bed, meals and a warm supporting environment. All students speak English and come with their own spending money and medical insurance. This student likes basketball and sports in general andis a role model student. If interested, contact Susan James PAX Program of Academic Exchange, at 904-806-1392 or [email protected].
