Tired of Santa being an jolly, FAT, OLD man? Well apparently they are in Los Angeles.

Leave it to L.A. to replace the traditional mall Santa with a hyped up healthy version known as Hunky Santa.

Hunky Santa

Ok, so they haven’t really replaced the normal Santa Claus.  The jolly old version just shows up when the kiddies are around during the week and early in the day on weekends.  Then Hunky Santa and the Candy Cane Girls show up on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night to dance and entertain the shoppers at an upscale mall in L.A.

Visitors can hop on Hunky Santa’s lap and ask for Christmas presents or his advice on anything from gift buying to tips on nutrition and exercise.

According to the L.A. Times, this year’s choice for the gig, Eli Wilhide, 31, says playing Hunky Santa fits right into his personality–it’s all about people, bringing joy to others, and staying healthy.

How does Hunky Santa get so fit and healthy?

When I want to build muscle and get in top shape, I’ll start with 10 to 20 minutes of cardio in the morning. I like to jump rope, because it’s so easy and I can do it anywhere. Then I’ll eat a breakfast of egg whites, oatmeal and berries, run some errands, and then I’m off to the gym, and I’ll be there for about two to three hours. I’ll do about a half-hour of cardio, an hour to an hour and a half of weights, and then I’ll do more cardio and stretching.

For cardio, I’ll mix it up and do the treadmill, or my favorite, the bike. For weights, I’ll do heavy weight and low reps. I pretty much do free weights — that’s what I’m used to, and I feel like I’m doing work. When I want to get lean, I’ll try to keep my heart rate up while doing weights. In between sets, instead of sitting and resting, I’ll do lunges without any weight. I try to keep my heart rate at about 150, which is my maximum fat-burning zone. It’s pretty tough. It’s not something I just started doing, I’ve worked up to it.

So the Hunky Santa lives and promotes a healthy lifestyle.  I’m all for that. :)  He even offers tips for staying fit and healthy through the holidays.

Hunky Santa’s Top Tips for staying fit this holiday season:

1. Don’t go overboard. “The key is moderation.”
2. Form good habits.
3. Avoid egg nog. “It is crazy bad for you.”
4. Fitness first. Try to move for 30 minutes a day. “We get so busy this time of year. Make fitness a priority.”
5. Connect with people. “Go for hikes with somebody.”

If you stick with your fitness routine through the holidays then maybe you will look like one of these hunky santas too. At least you won’t have any problems making your way down the chimney this year with your trim body and useful muscles!