Battle of the bulge: tips for fighting the winter five.

• Author: Olson, Pamela Ostermiller
• Position: Executive Living

Here we are approaching winter, those extra "holiday pounds" looming on the horizon. Studies have shown that most people gain an average of only one pound over the holidays. The bad news is that we don't ever lose that pound, which means that much of our midlife weight gain can be explained by holiday eating. The extra bad news is that midlife is when we are working the most and have less time for exercise.

"You don't get to slouch on the couch just because it's winter!" says fitness expert Lisa Boucher. So how can a busy exec stay fit, especially when the flurries fly?

Breaking the Barriers

Boucher, a personal trainer and fitness expert for 20 years, acknowledges how difficult it is to find time to work out, but she offers tips on busting through the scheduling--and mental--barriers. "Remember that exercise is cumulative. It doesn't have to be 60 minutes or nothing. If you can squeeze in a 15-20 minute workout in the morning and a another one at night, it adds up to 30-40 minutes. That's better than not exercising at all."

Boucher recommends that workouts be scheduled just like any other appointment. "Plan ahead! Pack your clothes for the gym the night before so that you can go straight there after work," she says. "Use your lunch hour to exercise, it is rejuvenating and will give you energy for the rest of your work day. Be as active as you can. Take the stairs, park far away from the door so you will have to walk more."

Resist the Call of the Cave

How many times have you had intentions to leap out of bed, bright-eyed and bushy tailed, and head straight to the gym, only to find the snowflakes falling and the cozy cave of your bedroom a much more tempting option?

Denise Druce, a leading fitness professional in Utah who has produced dozens of workout DVDs and has been a featured trainer in SELF magazine, says that with the onset of winter, many of us seem to follow the animal kingdom. "We lose our motivation, hibernate in front of our televisions and stay there until spring. The problem is, as we slow down, our stress level doesn't. We continue working, raising children, maintaining our homes and relationships, and eating the way we do when we're more active. But we're not being active enough to burn off the stress or the calories."

Druce says that the lack of exercise...