Seasonal Indulgences Don't Sabotage A Healthy Life As Long As You Maintain The 'Daily Fix'

“‘It is our daily habits that add up over time and have an impact on our weight and health -- not the indulgences that come with special occasions or even on the weekend,’ says Manhattan-based nutritionist Alexa Fishback. Her book, ‘The Daily Fix’ (Rodale, $17.95), is geared toward working women in particular, using the workday as the framework by which all good habits are made. Physical activity may not be built into your daily life. You have to make it happen at the gym, in the park or on the treadmill in your own home. ‘Once you are aware of the four saboteurs, [the Coffee-Shop Cookie Effect; the ‘variety is the spice of life’ trap; the media's mixed message mess; and the I-don't-want-to-run-into-a-cockroach-on-the-sketchy-staircase effect] you can make better decisions,’ Fishback says. And then you simply use the same planning tools you use at work to structure your meals and workouts. ‘Schedule meals, snacks and exercise into your Blackberry or calendar to facilitate daily habits, caloric monitoring and motivations to make health a priority,’ says Fishback, who suggests doing this at the beginning of the week. Scheduling workouts might mean planning ahead to bring your gym gear to the office so you can stop at the health club on the way home. Fishback suggests 30 minutes of walking a day (you can do it in 15-minute intervals), plus four to five more intensive workouts a week to raise your heart rate, improve muscle tone and make you sweat.”

http://blog.nola.com/chrisbynum/2008/12/the_workday_can_frame_your_wor.html