MAKE IT THROUGH THE HOLIDAY!

Making it through the winter holidays take a little planning, perseverance and will power (or WON’T power).  Here’s a few more tips to help you ge through.  If any are repeated from my previous post – you probably need to here it twice anyway!

1. Wear tight clothes – I know I said that before but it’s the most important.  Don’t go in your loosest outfit because you “just know I’m going to overeat” and you want to be comfortable.  I will wear my very tightest pants and leave no room for overeating!
2. When you’re cooking (or just don’t want to eat) chew gum!  It works well to keep you away from the buffet table.
3. IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT – DON’T EAT IT!  It’s not your responsibility to taste everything.  If I know I can have it any time I don’t eat it for Thanksgiving.  Indulge in your holiday favorites then eat slowly.
4. No fair skipping meals on the day of a party or dinner.  It seems like people who “save up calories” all day tend to eat more than they would normally do at night.  It doesn’t pay to skip.  A nourishing breakfast is the most important thing to help you make it through the day.
5. Take your camera and be the designated picture taker.  That’ll keep you away from the buffet!
6. Alcohol is a dehydrator just like caffeine so for every alcoholic beverage you have you need 2 glasses of water to make up for it.  Alternate an alcoholic drink with a calorie free beverage.  Those alcohol calories add up and could actually make you eat more!
7. Don’t feel deprived all night long – allow yourself one dessert (or a taste of a couple).  My secret is always take THE LAST BITE FIRST!  Just take a bite on your plate, talk  while everyone else is eating and when they are almost done – take your last bite – first!  Sounds silly but it works.  The last bite is the one we savor anyway.DON’T THINK THANKSGIVING TO CHRISTMAS IS ONE HOLIDAY.  Switch out of holiday mode after  an event, don’t let it carry over until the next week (or month).  Even if you’ve overeaten it won’t kill your diet if it’s just once.  Take the following tips to get rid of the extra calories:

This is what you have to do to burn off the calories:

One cup of stuffing 180 calories = 1/2 hour of walking

8 oz. of turkey 300 calories = an hour of playing a fun game of basketball

1/2 cup of candied yams 300 calories = 45 minutes of touch football

1/2 cup mashed potatoes 115 calories = 20 minutes of bowling

1/2 cup of cranberry sauce 21 calories = an hour of ACTIVELY taking care of a child

1/2 cup green bean casserole 160 calories = an hour of playing croquet

8 oz of sparkling cider 120 calories = 20 minutes on a stationary bike at a medium speed

one pice of pumpkin pie 300 calories = 60 minutes of ball-room dancing, or 30 minutes of fast dancing

4 oz red win 80 calories = 12 minutes of mountain biking

1 white roll 80 calories = 15 minutes of aerobics

So now, you decide what’s worth what and, above all, HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!

YOU ARE TODAY THE SUM OF YOUR HABITS FROM YESTERDAY!

It’s true, isn’t it?  The habits that you’ve made over the years have made you what you are today.  Some of those habits are good:  we wake up, brush our teeth, take a shower, eat breakfast (you’d better), read the newspaper – okay, those are MY habits but you have your own.  Some habits have been drilled into us from our early years.  Have you ever heard, “eat everything on your plate?”  I sure did and it became a habit – a habit that led to my overweight most of my life, at least until I realized that I could over-ride that BAD habit with a GOOD habit.  You see, once you’ve made a habit (a GOOD one) it becomes just as hard to break as a BAD habit BUT you have to get started.  They say it takes 21 days of doing something consistently to make it become a habit.  So, why not make a list of all the habits you think contributed to your weight challenge.

Here’s a list to get you started:

1. Eating too fast (remember, it takes 20 minutes for the brain to tell the stomach it’s full so SLOW down – put those utensils down in between bites, eat with the other hand, whatever it takes!)
2. Eating and watching t.v., reading, etc. When you eat – only eat.  Pay attention to the food – taste it!  How many times have you been watching t.v. and eating and ….you’re done eating and didn’t even know it.  You didn’t taste a thing so now you need a snack to satisfy your taste buds!
3. Eating “because a mood struck”.  If you’re mad, sad, glad, been had – don’t reach for food.  EXERCISE!  It will get the endorphins (that feel good chemical in the brain) working so you can work through the mood and lose weight rather than gain it!
4. Drinking calories rather than eating them!  You’re thirsty so you grab a soda, some juice, whatever.  It doesn’t fill you up it just adds calories.  Reach for the water instead.
5. Eating unhealthy snacks.  You know I advise eating 5 or 6 times a day which means we will be eating two or three snacks but that doesn’t mean grabbing a cupcake!  If you don’t have healthy items in the house you have no choice but to grab something else so…..shop smart!  String cheese, hard boiled egg, nuts, protein bars, fruit, veggies – keep them around.  If you need to have some other “stuff” bag them in small portion sizes so you can just grab them!

Those are a few habits – I know you probably have more.  Send me them in a comment and I’ll list them later with some ways to change them.  Here are a few more things you can do to get back in control:

1. Don’t skip meals
2. Find a “safe” room – one you will never eat in – like the bedroom – so you have a place to go when a craving hits.
3. Don’t let yourself get bored with a “diet”.  Constantly try new things.  There’s nothing you can’t have!  Just watch your portions.
4. Do keep your food journal – especially during holiday time to keep you on track.
5. Don’t think you have to eat everything that someone offers you.  ”No thank you” still works!
6. Just eat off that salad plate instead of the dinner plate.
7. SHOP SMART with a list!

I know I’ve repeated some things but sometimes we need reminders.  Just remember, YOU CAN DO IT!!!  I believe in you!

BRAISED APPLES AND ONIONS

This is one of my favorite dishes that I make every year for Thanksgiving.  TRUST ME it’s great and I get compliments all the time.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbl. margarine

2 medium onions, sliced and separated into rings

4 large apples (about 1 1/2 pounds) cored and cut into 12 slices each

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; stir well and set aside.  Melt margarine in nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add onions, saute 5 minutes or until crisp tender.  Add apples and brown sugar mixture; cover and cook 18 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and cook additional 4 minutes or until tender.

This serves 8 and is good hot or cold.  I make it ahead and freeze it and just warm it in microwave or oven.

CALORIES: 115       FAT; 3 GM.   FIBER: 2.6 GM    SODIUM: 110 MG  SUGAR: 18.8    PROTEIN: .6 GM

GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Yes, the holiday season is already here.  If you don’t believe it, just look at all the Christmas trees and gifts in the department stores  The best gift you can give yourself this season is NO WEIGHT GAIN!  Realize I didn’t say LOSE WEIGHT.  Anything you lose from Thanksgiving to January 2nd are bonus pounds.  The average person gains between 5 and 10 pounds during that one month – it could take 2 or 3 months to get it back off (that’s considering you don’t start on January 2nd because you’re still feeling guilty about the gain – BEEN THERE!).

So, I’m writing this on November 11th – about 2 weeks to go before Thanksgiving and I’ll advise you to:
Use this next two weeks to be as stringent as you can and get off as much as you can before Thanksgiving!!!                    Eat well, exercise, drink your water and don’t feel sorry for yourself!!!

Now let’s get started on how to make it through the holidays without GAINING any weight.  The challenges of parties, families, friends, dinners out, stress – tend to get to us and it’s our job to minimize it so here are some of my best tips that have helped me in the past:

1. A simple one:  if you’re at work and someone brings in …………(fill in the blank) and puts it in the lunch room (or wherever) STAY AWAY FROM THAT AREA!  No one makes you walk in and take a piece of cake or a cookie.  If you HAVE to go in that room to eat have smething with you that will satisfy your sweet tooth so you’re not tempted.  I always find a Tootsie Roll Pop is good!  Tell yourself that if you still want something you’ll go take one piece BEFORE YOU LEAVE WORK!  Then GET THE HECK OUT OF THE BUILDING AFTER WORK and tell yourself how great you did!
2. Don’t fall for the “You just have to taste this” ploy!  Tell whoever it is that’s trying to tempt you, “Oh, I’d love to but I’m so full now – I’ll try some later”.  You only need be accountable to YOU!
3. Don’t go anywhere hungry!!  If it’s a party or out to dinner EAT SOMETHING BEFORE YOU GO!  We always try NOT to “spoil your appetite” but during this season I’m going to recommend spoiling your appetite as much as you can BUT with something low cal and healthy!
4. WEAR TIGHT CLOTHES!  Have you ever purposely worn stretch pants so you’ll feel comfortable after you GORGE!  Come on now, we’re trying NOT to over eat so if we wear something tight to begin with we won’t eat as much because we’ll actually FEEL when we’re satisfied.
5. Wear WHITE or LIGHT colored clothes.  This is a silly one but, if you’re at a party where you’re standing up and eating ‘hor doerves you’ll probably stay away from the “messy” and most times high calorie treats so as not to drip on your clothes.  Told you it was silly – but it works!
6. Now we’re at the point where we’ve been to friends and families homes for dinner and they insist you take home that high calorie foods (that they don’t want sitting around tempting that).  You don’t have to insult them by saying no (which probably wouldn’t insult them but you think it will).  Just say thank you, go on home and DEEP SIX THAT FOOD before YOU’RE tempted.  Did that hurt them?  NO (unless they read this and know you’re going to do it!)  Did it help you?  You bet!  Be sure to call them the next day and say thank you.
7. REMEMBER:  Social events are for socializing (what a concept) so do that.  It’s pretty hard to eat while you’re talking.
8. Don’t fall for the:  ”Oh eat some more.  You’ve been doing great and a little won’t hurt you” bit.  That’s usually said by someone who doesn’t care if you do well or not so…pffffft - 
9. Double up on exercise for a few days after an event and be sure to drink until you’re urine is pale to clear to make sure you’re not dehydrated!
10. If you’re coming (or going) to classes KEEP IT UP.  It’s important to get weighed in every week and to be with a group and share ideas.

I’ll add some of your tips throughout the season so press the comment button at the bottom right of this blog and send me your tips!!!  Make it a great week!

CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIE

This is one of our favorites!  Mal makes it and, when we’re looking for something sweet AND nutritious, we have this!  We keep the ingredients in the house at all times.

1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin

8 egg whites (or the equivilent of Egg Beaters)

8 oz. 1% milk (or can actually use water)

1 1/4 cups Splenda (or more to taste)

4 to 5 tsp. pumpkin pie mix

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Spray a 10″ GLASS pie pan with cooking spray.  Mix all ingredients and pour into pan.  Put into pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. REDUCE HEAT TO 350 and bake another 40 to 50 minutes until set.

1/4 of the pie is 100 calories.  Since it has milk, pumpkin (fruit or vegetable) and egg whites we sometimes just split it and count it as a lunch!!  Enjoy and let me know (in comments) how you like it.