Time for some Holiday Cheer...

More social obligations!  More choices!!!!  I really can’t wait for this to be over!  I know - Bah humbug!  I just have to keep it all in perspective and try to indulge without the bulge!  Dinners out with friends and parties to go to and you still want to be able to fit into that little black dress comes New Years Eve! it can be done!  It’s all about planning ahead.  Planning your menu for the week and some extra emphasis on exercise and you can do it!  As I have said many a time, it’s all about choosing your battles, and thinking meal to meal!  I am on my own this season (I am trying not to bother my Guru) and sometimes I do feel myself spinning out of control with all the scrumptious foods surrounding me on a daily basis.  It is extremely stressful and I just hope the stress doesn’t feed into my eating emotions!  If I am going to be bad, I try and at least do it on my own terms!  It will be for food that I really enjoy and long for!  Christmas Eve is a very special dinner for Bob and me.  We are already planning our menu and I know it will be healthy with a lot of twists that might not be as healthy!   

You know the drill!  Remember to try and eat something before you go out, that will help with some temptations.  Banking calories before a party, you end up starved and over-eating those items that really aren’t what you desire anyway!  Take a pass on the mundane.  Determine which foods you can eat all year round and which are specialties of the season.  I tend to go for something that I know was prepared from one of my favorite “cooks/bakers”, homemade and made with a lot of love, rather than something that was store bought and processed.  

I know I could do a lot better with this rule of thumb - recognize water’s importance.  Drink a glassful of water before a meal to fill you stomach, keep hydrated throughout the day, and avoid confusion between thirst and hunger.  You can easily test the difference if you are hungry or thirsty by drinking a glass of water and seeing if the sensation goes away!

You’ve come a long way baby to maintain a healthy weight and incorporating exercise routines - these are lifestyle changes that still require your full attention and commitment! Remember, consistency is the key so one bad day a year is’t the problem.  It’s when one day becomes a week, a week becomes a month, a month becomes six months and so on and so on - that’s the real problem.  Be careful, be aware and of course have some fun!  CHEERS!

Until Monday - keep thinking veggies and protein and drink lots of water!