Fitness Expert Angela Ramos: Enjoy Halloween, But Not Too Much

CROWN POINT | Local Crown Point fat loss expert, Angela Ramos, has information that every dieter needs to know: Halloween is when the holiday weight gain really starts.

While the month of December is typically blamed for holiday weight gain, Ramos warns those wanting to lose weight that thanks to Halloween the pounds actually start to get packed on in late October.

"The amount of eats and treats that people consume is alarming," Ramos was quoted as saying. "One of the main problems is the smaller ‘snack sizes' that the candy manufacturers have made available. Eating several ‘mini' chocolate bars is something people see as ‘ok' because of their smaller size. In other words, it becomes a lot easier to convince yourself to indulge in these gut-swelling goodies and then you end up eating even more than before!"

Ramos recommends the following three figure-saving tips he has used with great success with her own clients for keeping the pounds off while still allowing for the occasional Halloween treat during pumpkin season:

1) Workout with Pumpkins: Attend Ramos' "Freaky Fat Loss Workout" to engage in some amazingly fun and effective seasonal fat loss workouts involving only your body weight and you guessed it... a pumpkin! This high-intensity, metabolism-boosting workout will be Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 6-8pm at Inspiration Fitness. All you need is: a costume, 2 non-perishable food items (to be donated to a local food pantry), and a PUMPKIN (females-10lb, males-20lb, children-5lb). For more information call 219-779-0500.

2) Make Healthier Halloween Recipes: Ramos recommends finding some great tasting treat recipes on line that won't kill your diet for some much needed damage control this Halloween season. It is imperative to be able to think outside the box by substituting healthier ingredients where possible without overly sacrificing the taste you crave for a more figure-friendly Halloween.

3) Use Common Sense:

- Only buy enough candy so that you expect to run out before the evening is over. It's crucial to weight loss success to not have "trigger" foods lying around - the temptation is often too great.

- Allow yourself just one piece of candy in the morning and then one at night. Skip any desserts

that you would normally eat after dinner. Also, be sure to increase your exercise activity by thirty minutes on every day that you eat your two pieces of candy. This will counteract the increase in calories that you are consuming.

- Furthermore, if people indulge a bit too much it's important to forgive themselves and move on. Dwelling on the past will not help their success.

Ramos believes that we must break out of the frustrating emotional eating patterns that sabotage our fat loss efforts during the holidays.

She states: "Our brains are wired to crave the sugar-laded treats that typify the Halloween season. So, our approach has been to take the exact opposite approach with our clients. Instead of using Halloween as a reason to justify eating a bunch of junk food we spin the seasonal event to spice up our boot camp workout by using pumpkin exercises. Halloween thus becomes a fat loss tool for us and our clients- this approach is key to adopting a healthy lifestyle for long-term success."

Ramos' local Inspiration Fitness facility (www.CrownPointPersonalTrainers.com) will be holding their annual "Freaky Fat Loss Workout" on Thursday, November 3 from 6-8 pm at 1940 E. North St, Suite C in Crown Point. The event features an interval training fat loss workout using pumpkins that Ramos claims will "scare the fat off of your body." Following the workout is a healthy Halloween buffet consisting of recipes brought in by their clients. The event is open to the general public and will also serve as a fund-raiser for a local food pantry.

For more information call Inspiration Fitness @ 219-779-0500.