Hi Everyone,
I hope all is going well(ness) for you and yours during this hectic but fun time. I wanted to get the December post out now, before too many of the festivities begin, in case you wanted to try to make it through everything with little to no weight gain, yet still have fun. So, here are some tips to help steer you towards more mindful eating at the holiday festivities. I'm sure you've heard of all or most of them before, but a little review might be helpful:
*First of all, just tell yourself that you will be more mindful of your choices. That's not to say that you shouldn't enjoy yourself and try a taste of everything. If you want something, you should not deny yourself, because it will most likely come back and haunt you during a moment of weakness later, when you feel deprived of all the fun. So, have a taste of anything and everything, just be mindful, and not overdo, unless you want to. Remember my mother's saying: The first bite of something is always the best part.
*Bring a tasty, attractive, healthy dish. Here are some suggestions: Roasted vegetables, fruit kabobs, shrimp that you dip into cocktail sauce, deviled eggs made with light mayo, an assortment of nuts (still in the shell), vegetables and hummus, baked chips, a bowl of lowfat popcorn, tuna (mixed with lowfat mayo) and crackers, grilled tropical fruit to dip into Greek yogurt**, a large beautiful yogurt parfait layered with fresh fruit and lowfat granola or crumpled graham crackers.
*Eat a light and healthy snack before you go, so that you are not famished when you get there.
*Make a smart beverage choice, water being the best one, of course, but no need to deprive yourself of alcohol or some other festive beverage. Consider alternating your beverage choice with a glass of water. One wine, one water, and so on. Something that has always helped me is to bring my own wine - those small one serving bottles. That will keep you from pouring a glass of wine that is really the equivalent of two glasses.
*Peruse the entire buffet table before taking a plate and serving yourself. Decide what you want to try, and what you can really do without. Weight Watchers International always suggests that you ask yourself this question before selecting an item, "Is it worth it?" If you have to ask that question, then perhaps these would be the items you would take only a taste of, instead of an entire serving.
*Choose a seat far away from the buffet table. Concentrate on having engaging conversations vs. concentrating on the food.
*Consider wearing something more fitted, rather than looser-fitting clothing. That might be a reminder that you don't want to gorge and be uncomfortable.
*Exercising before and after an event helps, of course, but remember that the caloric intake is much more important when trying to lose or maintain weight. If you do exercise, try an interval workout, and rev up that metabolism. Here's a simple one I like to do: Stationary bike, 30 seconds at a normal pace, followed by thirty seconds of pedaling as hard as I can. Do this for 30 minutes. No need to add a lot of resistance.
*And, if you don't wish to put limits on yourself, or think about it too much, give yourself permission to have whatever you'd like. But, promise yourself that you'll get back to a healthy lifestyle at the very next meal.
I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.
Take good care,
Mary
**You can make chocolate yogurt by mixing a 6 oz. serving of plain Greek yogurt with 2 tsp. raw honey and 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder.
