Holiday Tips and Tricks

Staying on tack during the holidays can be TOUGH! There is so much temptation....party food and appetizers, delectable desserts, etc. It is a time of year for a lot of traditions, and in my family that includes a lot of foods that we don't normally have the rest of the year. A lot of our socializing centers around food...ever notice that? For me, that means that I have to focus on using a few "tricks" to keep myself on track.

1. Get your water in. No matter what, make sure that you are drinking all of your water. This will help to keep you full when that food is tempting you. I have my own special water cup that I keep with me at all times. It's a good habit to be in all year, not just the holidays!

2. Stay active. Get your workout in. Try to do it first thing in the morning so that the day doesn't get away from you. Our days tend to get busy during the holidays and the last thing that you should be skipping is taking care of yourself. You will get those endorphins going first thing in the morning and rev up your metabolism for the day...all good things! (I also find ways to get "extra" in like parking farther away in the parking lot while I am Christmas shopping so that I have to walk a little farther!)
Make it a family activity!

3. Watch your portion size. So often during the holidays we let our portion sizes get out of whack! Really focus...do you need that extra helping? Will a taste of that pie suffice? How much do you REALLY need?

4. Lighten up your food! So many of the dishes we serve during the holidays are so high in calories. Try using healthy substitutes. For example, use stevia or honey instead of processed white sugar. Try steaming vegetables and tossing them with a little coconut oil to make them a little healthier. Use low fat yogurt instead of sour cream in your mashed potatoes. Cut back on the oil and butter where you can. The most important thing is to be conscious of what you are using in your recipes.

5. Make sure you have healthy options. I always make sure that I have a baked sweet potato on the side for myself and that there is a dish of steamed vegetables. If there are healthy alternatives available, it is a lot easier to make better choices.

6. Don't skip breakfast! It is not going to save you any calories. In fact, it will probably make you overindulge later. Keep your metabolism revved up all day long by not skipping any meals...and have some small snacks too to keep yourself on track!

7. Eat slowly. We tend to gorge ourselves at holiday meals. Take your time and savor each bite. Give your body a chance to tell you it's full. I like to force myself to wait five minutes before taking a second serving. Usually I find that I really am not hungry for more. Leftovers are always better the next day so there is no reason to try to pack it all in at once!

8. Go easy on alcoholic drinks. These can pack on the pounds pretty quickly. Be aware and don't overindulge.