Keeping fit during Appetizer Season

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.

The holidays are almost here.

Yes, I'm serious.

I also call it "Appetizer Season", for, from the day Halloween dawns until the end of the Super Bowl, it's all miniature sausages, all the time.

Food on a toothpick combined with a busy social schedule and daylight getting shorter can really wreak havoc on healthy eating and exercise.

Magazines are full of advice how to maintain healthy living during the season, but the fact is, it can be really hard. For me, my couch and a blanket always sound a little (OK, a LOT) better than hitting the dark and cold streets for a walk.

When the days get shorter, I try to get some more activity in while I'm at work, since my brain always thinks it's time for bed when it gets dark, and I'm not likely to leave the house or go back out for exercise.

If the weather is nice, I get outside and walk. If I can't do that, then I hit the hallways and stairs at work during lunch.

As far as parties go, I'm afraid there's not any revolutionary advice other than to eat before you go, try to make good food and drink selections at the party, and visit with friends away from the food table.

Oh, yes, I do know that's easier said than done, and I really struggle with the "don't go to a party hungry" concept, because I LOVE party food.

I think the key to keeping fit during the holidays is to create or stay with a routine, even when the weather and your schedule changes, plan ahead.

How do you stay fit as the seasons change and all of the holiday temptations begin? Do tell, for a chance to win!

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Taking it to the House with the Packers and the Titans

This is a sponsored post by BlogHer and P&G.

We live in the south. This is football country.

Friday night is high school football, Saturday morning is the grade school games, and Saturday afternoon brings the college contests.

Sunday is all about the NFL, and we live in a House Divided.

NFL Game Day around here means either baby blue, or green and gold, it depends on who you ask. We live in Tennessee, but Busy Dad's family is from Wisconsin, so we cheer for the Titans and the Packers.

Most of the time, the two peacefully co-exist, but every now and then, we're forced to pick sides, and it's not hard to spot who's for whom:



The Titans have only been around Tennessee since 1997, but despite a rocky start getting here, the town has really rallied around them. We love to watch every Sunday where we simultaneously cheer for them, and complain about them (passing game, what's that?).

They've been to the Super Bowl, and they've had seasons where they've lost 6 or 7 games in a row. There's been a couple of missteps along the way *cough* Pacman Jones *cough*, but our Titans are first class and they're a part of our community now.

Hmm...Randy Moss is a part of our community, now...

Anyway.

Game day around here is strangely enough often spent in the kitchen. I think it's mostly because we're still working around the house when the noon game kicks off, and we just start watching in there.

Most of the time, we have the usual snack fare, but the Packers-Vikings game always gets brats, German potato salad and Sauerkraut in honor of the German heritage shared by Busy Dad and both teams.

Oh, and if you're wondering: Aaron Rodgers.

We go to the Titans games occasionally, but we really enjoy taking the NFL to our house the most.

Take it to the House

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Check out their “Take it to the House” program and photo contest, where prizes include a $10,000 community donation to support NFL PLAY 60 and an at-home visit from a local NFL legend!

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2. Facebook contest info:

This football season, YOU have a chance to win some amazing prizes!

In football speak, “Taking it to the House” means scoring a long touchdown, but this season, Procter & Gamble, one of NFL’s sponsors, wants to help you take it to the house as part of their Facebook photo contest.

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