Hello and Greetings of Good Tidings to all! As promised I will give you several helpful hints and ways to prepare yourself against the enemy of temptation and his sister “over indulgence” this holiday season! Like most habitual ways of living, we all have our yearly rituals and childhood traditions we like to keep alive year after year.
Unfortunately, one of them is to hide and dodge from that perpetual 10 pounds that creeps over 8 weeks on to your hips while your lips are promising that after all the festivities and business of celebrating are complete, we will tackle that slight puffiness as we switch from buttons to elastic!
Avoid these 4 mistakes that many make at year’s end and you won’t have to make any resolution other than to give more, share more and to listen more!!!!
Here we go……
1. Saving my appetite for the BIG Meal or party later in the day.
This one is huge because not eating first thing in the morning immediately sets you up for failure. Restricting calories all day so we can consume all we want later is not only dangerous, it is the path to bloating, nausea, diarrhea, gas, etc.
Simply eat your first meal within an hour of waking. Eat every 3 to 4 hours up until when you arrive at the party or holiday meal. You may still enjoy whatever is being served but you won’t need to over indulge and you will be able to stop at one….or two ( lol) while being able to say enough is enough because I have another party tomorrow or next week etc. Pace yourself. Gorging is never respectful or pretty!
2. Free Grazing
News Flash!!! You are not a cow. Grazing at a party is as dangerous to your waistline as the above mistake. When you put your food on a plate you actually have to look at it! This is called portion control! You can still indulge, but when you “fix a plate” you literally can see how much food you are consuming and the choices you are making so that you don’t OVER indulge!
Choose fresh veggies and sliced meats with a few crackers. Shrimp cocktail and or sliced salmon are good choices, too. Limit the cheeses and puff dough! By all means taste things! I like the buddy tasting. Decide with your guest that you will each take a bite; that way you can TASTE and not over consume.
The same goes with the dessert. Pick a small plate and put a few sampling pieces of the fare. TAAARUST ME, you will feel much better in the morning! Sagiare non mangiare!! Taste, don’t eat as they say in Italia!
3. Alcohol Consumption
One of the biggest mistakes people make is to substitute alcoholic drinks for food. This is for sure mayhem lurking! I suggest everyone to imbibe responsibly and to consume food while sipping your favorite adult beverage!
When you exchange eating your calories for drinking them, it creates a false sense of hunger and in the end the perception of hunger is even more skewed. Then, over consumption of the worst kind of eating food imaginable ensues!
Somehow that double cheeseburger and fries at 2am seems like a good idea in the moment, but YIKES how does that move through your body the next day??! Again, this is a case of moderation and making decisions that work for you and not against you!
For every glass of alcohol, wine, or beer that you have, drink as many glasses of water so you can stay hydrated. If you find yourself reaching for a second beverage, time to grab a small plate and fill it with goodies that will satisfy not suffocate!! Be a two- handed drinker; one hand for a beverage, one hand for water!! Cheers!
4. Abandon all ambition of diet and exercise until after the New Year
WROOONGUH!!!!!!!!! This notion is simply the most absurd thought process I have ever heard! I understand that during the holidays all “H” breaks loose in our lives that wreaks havoc on our schedule, sleep time, our wallets, and certainly any extra time for ourselves with all the obligations we take on.
BUT…let me remind you that without good health through exercise and clean eating, you won’t be around for many more holidays to enjoy anyways! The very thing you need the most under these environmental circumstances is to metabolize stress hormones and that comes only from exercise!
Maybe you have to cut back or cut down the duration or the frequency of exercise, but to eliminate it all together is absolutely ridiculous. Eating clean daily is what keeps the chemistry straight so that you won’t crave all the super-rich food and decadent sweets. Then when you do partake, a little will go a long way.
So if you just resolve to stick with your program and not fall into the same trap you have for the last 20 years, then you won’t have to resolve to the same old first of the year promise that lasts for two- weeks if that! Come on, this Holiday Season make a different choice.
I will leave you with this…chew gum during holiday baking! This will help cut down on the amount of raw cookie dough you will eat, cake batter you will lick, and frosting finger licks that are gross anyways!!! Come on, this Holiday Season make a different choice. Choose to get Fit not Fat! Agouri! Blessings!
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704.624.8400 minthill@snapfitness.com
