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The holiday season presents us with many tasty temptations that even the most disciplined people have a hard time

saying no to. A good tip is to not attempt to lose weight during the holidays. Instead, focus on healthy solutions such

as moderation while still enjoying all the traditions that make the holiday special. Below are some strategies that

make staying healthy and fit a little easier this season.

Garlic Green Beans -2 pounds of green beans, trimmed

-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

-3 tablespoons of minced garlic

-3 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley

-1/2 tablespoon of salt

-pinch of freshly ground pepper

Directions: -Bring large pot of water to boil. Place a large bowl of ice water next

to the stove.

-Add half of the green beans to the boiling water. Cook for 4 minutes.

-Transfer beans to the ice water to cool. Repeat with the remaining

beans.

-After the beans are cooled transfer them to a towel to dry.

-Heat pan at medium heat. Add garlic to pan and stir for about 30

seconds.

-Place the beans in the pan and stir.

-Add parsley, salt and pepper into the beans. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

Roasted Pears -2-3 pears, (about 1 pound)

-1 tablespoon of lemon juice

-2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions: -Preheat oven to 425.

-Peel, core and cut pears into 1/2 inch

thick slices.

-Stir the pear slices with lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sugar and

stir once again.

-Transfer to a baking pan.

-Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

-Stir occasionly to make sure that pears do not burn.

Nutrition: Eating Healthy Through the Holidays

Hit the fruit/veggie tray. Eating fruits and veggies first is a

healthy way to avoid over eating.

Practice moderation not deprivation.

Keep drinking water. Drink at least eight ounces of water

before you eat, this will allow your stomach to feel a little

full.

Keep liquid calories in check. Eggnog has almost 350 calories

in one cup. Stick to water.

Focus on enjoying family and friends, not the food.

When attending holiday parties, bring a healthy dish to

share.

Remember alcohol increases appetite and contributes calories.

Eat breakfast. Don’t sleep through the most impor-

tant meal of the day.

Keep exercising!

10 Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies:

Learn to say “no thank you, I’m full.”

Holiday Recipes:

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Courtney Seelhorst #1 SENIOR - Goalie

In this month’s interview we sit down with Courtney Seelhorst. This seasoned 5th year senior

has experienced almost all the variety a sports program can offer. Coming from a redshirt

freshman all the way to decorated veteran, Courtney has seen tough seasons, coaching

changes and finished it out with a record setting year that capped a story book ending for this

Plano, TX native. Through all her trials Courtney brings a message of perseverance and trust-

ing that wherever you are is exactly where you need to be. She hopes that with her degree in

health studies and pre-physical therapy she can spread her knowledge and positive attitude

with other athletes as she departs from Baylor University. Here is a closer look at what Court-

ney is like Behind the Line.

Why did you choose Baylor University?

I liked that it was close to home and when I visited I really liked

the environment and Christian atmosphere.

You get teased about being the grandma on the team,

how have you enjoyed your illustrious Baylor career?

(Laughs) I was lucky enough to spend 5 years here and really en-

joyed every moment. As a freshman I came in injured and was

asked to redshirt, which allowed me to stay an extra year. Who

would have thought a chipped bone and 4 foot surgeries would

have been such a blessing!? I was very happy I got to spend my

extra year with this group of girls, it capped off my entire experi-

ence the perfect way.

How has the journey been coming from redshirt fresh-

man, to watching from the bench, all the way to highly

decorated starter and school record holder.

It has been a complete roller coaster of emotions. As a freshman I

struggled with my commitment to the game as well as the new

coaches. After that it was the struggle to support my team when I

felt like I could be playing. In the end the whole experience really

helped shaped my character and taught me how to fulfill my role

to the best of my abilities. I learned to be supportive even if I was-

n’t playing and it helped me appreciate the support of my team

mates when I got my chance.

What was your feeling when you knew you got into the

NCAA tournament, and how did the first tournament

win in school history feel?

I was just so excited to play another game with these girls, it was

such a bummer losing in the big 12 and the fact that we had a

chance to play again as a team was just awesome! The win was

amazing! We came out so ready to play. Getting to experience a

game like that is a high point of my career.

What do you think your team has done differently to

have such a great season?

I think just the cohesion and the feeling we have amongst each

other as teammates. We really have great chemistry. Also we have

put a lot more emphasis this year on recovery and getting back to

be as healthy as possible for each game. We were just talking be-

fore the tournament that any other year at this point our bodies

really felt absolutely trashed and I think the fact that we spent

some time learning about recovery and nutrition helped a lot.

What is something that most people don’t know about

you?

From 2nd to 7th grade I went to Greek School. My grandparents are

Greek Orthodox, you know like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding?” So

I went to Greek school for about 6 years. Also I collect DVD’s, I

don’t even know how many I have, and I like to cook. I’m a big

fan of the crock pot, you can make so many great things with it.

What would be a message you have for any new comers

at Baylor University?

You never know how things are going to turn out, if you just per-

severe through the hard times you’ll always come out a better per-

son on the other side.

4

Sports specific training has become a popular

term in athletics today. Weighted balls, clubs

and extravagant apparatuses that promise re-

sults relating directly to the field of play have

fast become the new fad in training. This cre-

ates confusion in the world of athletic perform-

ance where barbells and platforms are regularly

utilized over cables and pulleys. Coaches are

often concerned that their swim team may be

training too much like a football team, or that certain exercises will change their dancers into homerun sluggers. The true aim of

good training is to enhance an athlete’s ability to perform skills learned at practice and on the game field by improving general

athletic qualities. In the end, who would not see greater success from athletes who are leaner, more agile, more mobile, more

powerful and more injury resistant? This article will discuss some general concepts of training and why certain training princi-

ples can be successfully applied in a wide range of sports.

Many sports involve short explosive bursts

of activity. Athletes in these sports may fail

to realize the importance of extended mod-

erate intensity exercise, such as med ball

circuits or tempo training. The benefit lies

in the cardiovascular improvements that

allow for higher levels of activity over

longer periods of time. With this type of

training comes 3 key adaptions: 1. Increase in left ventricular chamber volume

(more blood in the heart). 2. Increase in left ventricular wall thickness

(more powerful pump). 3. Increase in number of capillaries (more

blood delivered to muscles). These three adaptions allow for more blood

to be pumped throughout the body with

more power, which means more nutrients,

more oxygen, and faster removal of waste

products. Besides the obvious benefits dur-

ing activity, these accommodations will also

help reduce the recovery time needed be-

tween bouts of exertion.

Plyometrics is a term that is often misused

in athletic performance. Many believe that a

plyometric is any explosive movement.

Though plyometrics are powerful and explo-

sive, it is not just their intensity that gains

them their classification. A true plyo is de-

fined as a quick and powerful concentric

movement preceded by an active prestretch

or countermovement that involves the use of

the stretch shortening cycle (sprinting,

bounding, depth jumps). When a muscle is

stretched it wants to snap back, and if we

can train our body to simultaneously fire

those muscles to contract, the combination

will create far more force than we would be

able to generate by contraction alone. Tak-

ing this into consideration it is easy to see

why any sport that involves running, jump-

ing, or changing direction, could benefit

from properly

designed plyo-

metrics.

It is nearly impossible to match the move-

ments and mechanics of sport competition

in the weight room. The velocity at which

the limbs move during an all-out sprint or

leap cannot be mimicked with a barbell. For

this reason, performance coaches focus on

increasing and maintaining strength, power

and structural integrity while challenging

the central nervous system. The best way to

achieve these goals in the weight room is to

increase the load that skeletal muscle can

handle using steady progression of weight

bearing exercise. This is the reason that you

may see similar exercises (like squat, or pull

-ups) being performed by a wide variety of

teams, as they are

great at increasing

general strength

and structural sta-

bility.

TRAINED UNTRAINED

Strength - the power to resist force

Concentric - shortening of muscle fibers as tension

develops.

Stretch Shortening Cycle - the active stretch (eccentric contraction) of a muscle followed by an

immediate shortening (concentric contraction) of that

same muscle. Moderate Intensity Exercise – exercise at 70 to 80%

of maximum heart rate (220-age) ex. Walking at a brisk

pace around 4mph.

5

The Final block of the third tier of the “Building Block of

success “pyramid is Team Spirit. Legendary Coach John

Wooden saw team spirit as sacrificing personal interest or

glory for the welfare of all.” A key term in that statement

is “Eagerness.” Which is defined as having or showing

sincere interest, or intense desire. Having selfless, moti-

vated and loyal members is key to maintaining a positive

team spirit. Working in a group that shares these attrib-

utes make it possible for a team or organization to over-

come adversity and achieve success as a whole. So as you

look around, are you surrounded with eager teammates or

co-workers? Are they excited to take on the grueling tasks

of the day along with the mundane? Do they hold them-

selves and others to a high standard because of their keen

interest in the task at hand, or are they just going through

the motions because it is in their job description? Positive

team spirit starts in the individual and infects the entire

organization. Be a great teammate and help maintain an

atmosphere that breeds success.

“A positive team spirit is not based solely on wins and losses or

financial gains, but on a shared sense of pride and trust that the

desired goal serves a higher purpose.” - Unknown

Condition Skill Team Spirit

FB = Football

VB = Volleyball

XC = Cross Country

SF = Softball

EQ = Equestrian

MBB = Men’s Basketball

WBB = Women’s Basketball

Away

FB vs. Texas

Home

WBB vs. St. John’s MBB vs. Northwestern

WBB vs. Minnesota

WBB vs. Milwaukee MBB vs. Bethune Cookman

Baylor Athletic

Performance

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