TYLER, Texas — 'Tis the season to be jolly, and and there's some jolly good food, tempting taste buds everywhere this holiday season.
From parties and dinners to treats at the grocery store, it seems impossible not to put on some pounds, but there's a program at UT Health East Texas designed to tackle just that. It's the No Gain Campaign.
Nancy Heidrick joined the UT Health East Texas Olympic Center 12 years ago right after the holidays. It was actually a Christmas gift that she's so thankful for now.
"Oh I was just a blob sitting in at a desk and going to lunch," Heidrick said. "And just I did zero from for probably 20 years. So I started doing the doing ellipticals and treadmills (When I) started off only could do 10 minutes at a time, but I built up until I could do the 30 minutes of cardio and then also the weights."
Now, Heidrick is working out at the facility six days a week, and when she's not on one of the exercise machines, she can be found in a class.
"They have gentle yoga to power yoga, and then also I do the HIIT class," she said.
She's once again joining the No Gain Campaign this holiday season.
"One year during the No Gain Campaign, I actually lost 10 pounds," she said. "That's hard to do during the holidays, but you can do it."
Gina Baxter, operation manager at the Olympic Center, said they're challenging East Texans not to gain any weight from Thanksgiving to the new year.
"You don't have to be a member. Anybody can do it, and then we'll give you a pass for those about six weeks or so, to use the facility as well," Baxter said.
That weigh-in goes until Nov. 24 and the weigh-out runs from Jan. 2 to 10.
Anyone who doesn't gain weight is entered in to win prizes -- like a one month membership to the UT Health East Texas Olympic Center, massage therapy, personal training, gift card or some Olympic Center swag.
But how can people keep the pounds away with holiday treats, parties and activities tempting them to eat and keeping them away from the gym.
"Over the holidays, we can find good foods. Turkey is good for you," Baxter said. "It's all the stuff that comes with the turkey -- the mashed potatoes, the stuffing, all that stuff. So mind your serving sizes as always, which we should be doing anyway. Don't go crazy with all the pies. Have a little taste of maybe each of your favorites."
Baxter said people should fill their plate mostly with lean protein.
"So those are they're going to be our best fuels," Baxter said. "Then your vegetables obviously should be your next one. Those carbohydrates maybe should be a little bit less."
Another place where calories are hiding and adding up is people's beverages.
"So alcoholic drinks, eggnogs popular over the holidays," Baxter said. "People tend to think that what they drink has no calories. That's just like free food, but calories are big in alcohol, and so mind your serving sizes with alcohol too."
Another distraction taking people's focus off fitness is the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
"There's so many things they have to do at home, but really you can take 30 minutes, get out, go for a walk, come in, do your weight lifting program, whatever it may be," Baxter said. "You can find 30 minutes that keeps you on the right track the whole time."
It's a recipe that's been working for Heidrick. She believes working out, minding her portions and choosing healthier food helped save her life.
"Well, my health has been tremendous, and I had an experience last year," Heidrick said. "I had liver cancer, and I had a procedure done at the hospital here, and my liver cancer is gone because the doctors told me, keep working out, keep doing what you doing. And I survived liver cancer at 72. So it's amazing, and it's because of this gym."
To sign up for the campaign, click here.
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