Friday, December 18, 2009

Killing Christmas Cravings

One of the hardest things about Christmas time when you are trying to lose/maintain your weight is the once a year foods, and the food you have access too.





Fake Hunger


The first thing I am going to help you avoid is “fake hungry.” 


This is when you suddenly have an intense urge to eat, especially when the craving is for a specific food, such as eggnog, chocolate, or a Big Mac. 


This is type of hunger is psychological and if you can distract yourself for about 5 minutes the craving often passes.


Try some of the following ideas to get your mind off food:


·         Email or call a friend

·         Do some window shopping

·         Take a walk





Food Hostage


You're out doing you last minute shopping, when the smell of the food court makes your tummy scream, "YES!!  I NEED FOOD NOW!!!”


Before you find yourself saving, “I’ll have a number 5 with a Diet Coke.” let’s start over before you went shopping.  (By the way, a McDonald’s Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich has 420 calories, and medium fries are 380 - a total of 800 calories!)


1.      First, make sure to eat a healthy breakfast or lunch before going out.


2.      Take a bottle of water with you or one of those cute metal ones you can reuse!

(They are inexpensive, environmentally conscious, and make an awesome gift!)



3.      Do NOT shop until you drop! Shop just for a few hours.  Day-long shops trips always include a meal at a restaurant.  This usually nullifies all the calories you burned walking around! 






Festive Fare


The hardest part for me is the foods that come but once a year.  Like Eggnog, Aunt Linda’s broccoli and cheese casserole, Lefse, and decorated sugar cookies in Holiday shapes!  How can you avoid something you love, and only get to have once a year?!?!?!  My advice is don’t. 


Obsessing over what you should and should not eat will stress you out!!!  In the end it always triggers a binge that makes you fall off the wagon!!  :(


It is okay to indulge a bit.  Take a very small portion and savor the taste. 


Your first bite should also be your last bite!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Don't Wait until New Year's!

Wow... it’s 9 days until Christmas and 15 days until 2009 draws to a close!

Lots of people will make the resolution to get healthy in 2010.

But why wait 15 more days to start getting healthy?!

Why allow yourself to binge the next two weeks and then spend January working off the pounds you never needed to add!?

Holiday parties often have trays and trays of easy to pick up calorie dense treats.

My tip:  If you can eat it without plate, AVOID IT!!!

Every 500 extra calories is 0.25 pounds added to your belly!!!


Here are 12 Holiday foods in a 500 calorie portion, like the 12 days of Christmas!

12 oz. Eggnog
11 Shrimp Cocktail
10 Filled Chocolates
9 Stuffed Mushrooms
8 Little meatballs
7 Cordial Cherries
6 Lindt truffles
5 ounces cheese!
4 cubes of fudge
3 ounces nuts
2 gingerbread men
and a slice of pecan pie!