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Merry Christmas
& Happy Holidays 2018
brought to you by
Contents:
My Christmas Story -
Bill DaGiau
Staying Healthy Through the Holiday Season -
Cindy May Gibb
An Arete Chiropractic Christmas
Chris Pets for Vets
Rye By The Sea 5K Walk/Run or Duathlon
Amazon Smile You Shop We Benefit
Annie's Angels Program Information
My Christmas Story
Bill DaGiau
 Christmas 2002 changed every Christmas forever. In August 2002 I moved with my wife and children to Stratham, New Hampshire. We spent the next 4 months traveling back and forth to New Jersey to visit my mom Annie, who was battling cancer. This was an ongoing battle that had its ups and downs for more than seven years. Annie was a fighter! If anyone could beat this, it was her. After all, we had seen her knock it down before. She just never could seem to knock it out. My last visit to see her, just before Christmas, she was in the hospital. Her will was strong, her faith deep but her body was weak. I hadn't seen her that frail in the seven years she battled and I was worried that this could be the last time I see her. I made the most of my time but I had to return to NH and on the 5 hour drive home I remember praying, "God, if there are no more miracles for mom, please don't make her suffer." Christmas night 2002 that good and gracious God answered that prayer sending His angels to take mom home. To make a long story short, I spent the next five years avoiding Christmas and the holidays. Oh, I partied like a rock star but inside...inside I was dead. Then, in a moment of divine intervention, yes, I said divine intervention, that same God that answered my prayer back in 2002, offered me a new path. A new way to move forward. It was called Annie's Angels. Annie's Angels has taken Christmas and turned it from a day of avoidance for me into an every day occurrence. Can you imagine waking up every single day and giving someone struggling through disease, illness or disability a glimmer of hope? Can you imagine waking up everyday and letting someone struggling through disease, illness or disability know that they matter and that someone cares about them? That's what Christmas is about, sharing hope and love with everyone you meet. Remember when you were a kid and wished everyday was Christmas? For me it is! To share in this Christmas Love
every day of the year consider making a tax deductible contribution to Annie's Angels. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Thanks to YOU we are able to ease some of the stresses that come with a doctors diagnosis. We just  can't do this good work without YOUR support. I ask that you please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Annie's Angels
or visit the Our Families
tab on the website and select a particular family to help. Get updates about "your family" on the website or follow them on social media to see how your contributions are working, and thanks again for your continued support.
Staying Healthy Through the Holiday Season
Cindy May Gibb
 My friends, weight gain is NOT inevitable between Halloween and the New Year, despite the fact that on average, Americans gain 6 pounds in this short amount of time. If you’re anything like me, you do not want to be part of that statistic, nor do you want to contribute to the one that says 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February-Yikes! Incorporating healthy nutrition and fitness all year long does not need to be a dreaded chore. The older I’ve gotten, the more this becomes true for me. I also realize now, neither has to be “all or nothing”; small changes daily add up and ultimately make a huge difference in the long run. It all boils down to consistency…and consistency is habitual. The more we do something, the more it becomes a habit—good or bad. Interestingly, what I’ve also learned is that once healthy nutrition and fitness do become habits, they also become more enjoyable. And the bad habits you are able to ditch actually become LESS enjoyable. Here are my top 7 tips for avoiding that Holiday bulge, so that come January, you are feeling fabulous, and are ahead of the rest of the masses who now think restricting calories and spending 2 hours at the gym 5 days a week are the way to go (NO thanks!): - Tip #1: CHANGE YOUR SELF-TALK.
I made this #1 in case you decide to stop reading. If you decide to stop reading, go for it, but AFTER you read Tip #1, K? Thanks! Think of your brain as a highly complex computer. The computer delivers what you input. Depending what commands you program into the computer will determine its output, right? Thinking “I’m so fat!” instructs your brain subconsciously to make that true. It knows no different. When you think thoughts, your brain believes them to be true, no matter what. It cannot differentiate beliefs from facts, so it will do whatever it can to make your thought your reality. Thinking over and over (and especially saying out loud) that you are fat, instructs your brain to make it so. This explains your self-sabotage every time you’ve tried and failed to get healthy in the past. So program your brain positively. This is also why affirmations said out loud every morning and when you go to bed at night, really work! But you must be self-disciplined enough to change your thoughts—change your mindset—change your self-talk. “I am worth it! I am fit! I am healthy! I feel great! I take great care of the body God gave me. I love me. I ROCK!!!”
- Tip #2: FOOD SUBSTITION. Our taste buds can be trained. Ever wonder why 2 people can taste the exact same dish and one loves it and the other gags? Yes, we all have different taste buds and different preferences, but much of it has to do with what we are accustomed to eating. For example, as a kid I despised pea soup. Now I love it! Same with olives! I’m not saying you should start eating healthy food you hate….but I am saying if you start to replace not-so-healthy foods with healthier versions, after a while you’ll crave the healthy substitute! As a great example, I LOVE pancakes. However, if I gave in to this indulgence too often, I would no longer be able to rock my skinny jeans (ok-a vain goal, but I’m just being real with you). I actually get to enjoy protein pancakes 2-3 mornings a week now (and sometimes for dinner!). I’ve found a HEALTHY version!
- Tip #3: ALCOHOL SUBSTITUTION.
Anyone who knows me, knows my drink(s) of choice are the worst ones for my waistline…you know, margaritas, pina coladas, mai tais….preferably on a beach on an 80-degree day, but that’s a whole other blog. I don’t drink a lot, but I do find that around the holidays, alcohol consumption goes up. I’ve discovered a few go-to’s on these occasions so when I wake up the next morning, I am guilt-free and don’t feel like throwing in the towel and eating cake for breakfast. I still want to enjoy my drink, otherwise, why bother? From ‘skinny’ margaritas, to light beers, wine spritzers, or club soda with your favorite alcohol…there are lots of options! My favorite I recently discovered is Malibu Rum and Soda…throw a few limes and there, and say whaaaat!? A yummy tropical drink that replaces my pina colada or mai tai (and less than 100 calories vs. 300+ calories!)
- Tip #4: STAY AHEAD OF CRAVINGS.
Lots of Holiday parties typically equates to lots of indulgent food! Definitely enjoy some of that food, but be careful not to go overboard. One thing that’s helped me is drinking a nutritious protein shake just before the party. All protein shakes are not created equally, however, and if you want the one that I have found to be the best in my opinion, please reach out to me. You need to look for one that is densely nutritious but lower calorie—not an easy combo to find. This means it’s packed with vitamins and minerals, but you don’t have to consume 500 calories to actually get all those nutrients. Also look for the right protein. I recommend undenatured---this means it’s cold-processed so the protein molecules are kept intact and you are actually receiving all the grams of protein the product claims to deliver. Other considerations when choosing a protein shake: make sure it’s YUMMY, filling, whey or plant-based protein (no soy!), contains digestive enzymes so your body can actually absorb the nutrients, gluten-free, low-glycemic and of course, NO artificial anything, including sweeteners.
- Tip #5: MOVE YOUR BODY.
If you are not a fan of the gym, if you don’t have workout equipment at home, it’s ok! There are TONS of things you can do right in your own home. Even just 30 minutes, 3 times a week helps improve overall health, promotes productivity, and promotes that ever-important consistency I mentioned earlier. If you google “home body weight exercises”, you’ll see a ton of suggestions. Being a visual person, I like to click on ‘images’ so I can SEE the exercises suggested. For those of you who don’t mind the gym or do have home exercise equipment, again, just doing some strength training exercises for 30 minutes, 3 times per week consistently, is a game changer in the long run.
- Tip #6: COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
Humans are social creatures, we thrive when we connect… especially when we connect with like-minded people with similar goals. Find your tribe, your squad, your peeps! If you need a community of bad-ass rock stars like yourself, let me know and I will welcome you into mine with open arms! We connect on Facebook, encourage and inspire each other, we keep each other accountable and all in all, we just love on one another which is all anybody really needs, right?
- Tip #7: STAY CONSISTENT.
Just as one salad doesn’t make you fit and healthy, neither does one bad meal make you fat! So by all means, when you have a cheat meal (and this is actually encouraged occasionally!), do not…I repeat….do not give up and let it turn into a cheat week or a cheat month! Enjoy your cheat meal (I hate even calling it that), then start incorporating HEALTH into your life again, right away. Remember, it’s about consistency. You are what you do repeated. I live by the 80/20 rule….make the best, healthiest choices 80% of the time!
I am hopeful you found value in this, and I would love to continue to help you stick to your health goals, not just this Holiday Season, but throughout the year!
Thank you for taking time to read, and from my family to yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
In Health,
Cindy May Gibb
Start your Christmas shopping now! Do you shop online? Do you shop on Amazon.com? If you do, please click the banner below to enter our Amazon.com store. By doing this you will help Annie's Angels raise much needed funds. You shop, we benefit! It won't cost you a thing. Thanks for your support.
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