Starting Over After Pesach

Pesach! It is the holiday of freedom with not a moment to rest. Preparations for Pesach begin a month or more before, purchases, matzo, cleaning, bedikas Chametz, the seder, Chol Hamoed. It is non-stop, and it also turns into non-stop eating and almost no activity and exercise—a deadly combination.

When the Almighty took us out of Egypt, he brought us from enslavement to freedom. But freedom doesn’t mean doing whatever we want, however we want, whenever we want and unfortunately, we generally become enslaved to our desires for food and overeating during the holidays. But now, it is after the Yom Tov and our clothes don’t fit as they did just a few days ago. But what can we do? And more importantly, how can we bring some permanence to our health and fitness and not go through this process every single year?

In the non-Jewish world, every January 1^st, we hear about the secular New Years resolutions. And taking care of our health is usually one of them. Gym memberships soar at the beginning of the New Year, yet by March, the drop out rate at gyms is astonishing. People who have purchased half-year and full-year memberships are no longer attending. The initial excitement slowly evaporates and we are all back into our mundane rut. So, how can we be different? Now that the holidays are behind us, let us not fall into familiar traps. Let’s learn how to make the right choices and foster real change.

The first step in this process, is to concentrate on three main areas—exercise, proper eating, and stress reduction. Exercise should consist of a balanced program of aerobics 4-5 times per week, resistance training 2-3 times per week and stretching on a daily basis. A good nutritious food plan must include vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins and just as importantly, portion control. Manage your stress levels with a combination of practical problem solving together with relaxation techniques. Your exercise routine is another key ingredient in reducing stress.

How can we make the necessary changes and keep our resolutions?

Make health a priority—make time for getting healthy!
Get yourself a Chavrusah—a partner. Sometimes these are called diet buddies or exercise buddies. You need to be accountable to someone other than yourself. Find a friend. A spouse in not a good idea.
Work on your environment. Don’t bring things into the home that aren’t good for you or that you tend to eat a lot of, like salty or sugary snacks.
Keep your exercise gear handy. Keep it in a place that you just can slip into your clothes and shoes easily. Sometimes, it is just a matter of getting on the gear—and you are ready to go!
Set goals for yourself—not necessarily weight loss. See how long you can walk and how fast. Set weekly and monthly goals to increase your distance and your pace. Set a goal of a smaller dress size or pants size.
Reward yourself. What are you going to do for yourself when you reach your goals? Try to avoid food as a reward.
Give yourself credit! When you have done something that was difficult for you, when you are able to change a bad behavior, write it down and give yourself a much deserved pat on the back
WRITE IT ALL DOWN! Make a Cheshbon HaNefesh, an accounting of your health. Whether it is your food intake or your exercise, keep a log of everything. Make a diary and also write down your feelings at the end of the day or after an exercise session.

Now that the holidays are behind us and we have beseeched the Almighty to watch over our health, we need to do our part and make an effort to succeed. The best protection that we can give ourselves is to eat right, exercise, reduce stress and keep davening!

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 10 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss center Lose It! together with Linda Holtz M.S. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected] See the Lose It! website at www.loseit.co.il