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!