Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Keeping It Real... Healthy!

Who likes holiday food?!?! I do, I do!! Turkey & stuffing with cranberry sauce; sweet potato casserole covered with toasted marshmallows; apple pie and pumpkin pie spice lattes; the list goes on. Let's face it, most people gain 2 to 10 lbs between November and January. So this year, be proactive! Do something about the weight gain BEFORE you gain it!

1. Enlist a partner. An accountability partner. Preferably someone in your family who you will be with at these holiday gatherings. Let them know your goals (only 1 sweet, only 1 serving, no more than 8 oz of alcohol, etc). This person needs to be someone you trust and who will be encouraging, not annoying or degrading. Someone who will be healthy too, not stuffing their face while your resisting.

2. Encourage healthy options at your gatherings  or just bring your own. My kids don't eat dairy (which btw saves massive calories!!) so I'm used to bringing additional food. And my family has been so wonderful looking up dairy free recipes and have even been making healthier dishes, too.

3. Let your family know your goals. Hopefully you have a supportive family and they will be supportive. How do they know your goals and intentions if you don't tell them?  How do they know how important your goals are if you don't tell them? If your goal is to be healthier, they should commend you. (Plus, what accountability! They'll be watching you. Be ready to set the example.)

This WebMD article has some great tips, too.

http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/features/10-ways-to-avoid-holiday-weight-gain?page=2

I, personally, have had a few stressful months which results in eating unnecessary calories. But after putting on a pair of jeans that are a size (or 2) bigger than I normally wear I am determined!! Life is a little less stressful (still have 4 kids, still not in our house, but hubby is home and fall sports are over) so I'm ready to get back into my jeans! I have set some goals I intend on keeping til the end of the year... Or longer!! (It takes about this long to create a habit. I know I'm picking a difficult time to do these things but I canNOT put on more weight during the holidays.)
Here they are
1. No Dairy!! Something about it makes me want to eat more. (I'm guessing it's the sugar that milk has. My kids drink Almond milk and soy yogurt and I can do without cheese.)
2. No dessert or snacking AFTER lunch or dinner. I'm usually tired or thirsty after these meals. So instead I will be drinking water or have flavored hot tea.
3. Measure my food and Log it BEFORE I eat it!!
4. Calorie goals: 1400 when I don't exercise, 1600 when I do a 1hr workout, 1800 when I do 2hrs of exercise. No more than 2000.

It's easier to resist when we stay I'm control to start with.

What are your goals?!


No comments:

Post a Comment