Week 66 - Surviving Thanksgiving

I just got my school pictures back. What a difference a year makes!

I didn't realize I'd let a couple weeks slip by without an update. Whoops! Thinks continue about the same. I am still two pounds from my goal. I really need to buckle down and just get there!

I did pretty good over Thanksgiving. I was controlled and kept my weight in check. The only bad thing is that I ate stuffing. After not having bread for a year, eating stuffing about killed my gut. I was in serious pain. 

I shared some advice with my clients that I want to document here just so I have it for the future.

Eating During the Holidays

First of all, remember that everything is a CHOICE. Get rid of thoughts like "I HAVE to eat this." or "I CAN'T eat that." You can do whatever you want. You are in charge of your own life. No one is telling you what you can or cannot do. 

What you can't do, is control the consequences of your choices. Those will come whether you want them to or not. So what you need to do is ask yourself what do you want most? For example, yesterday, they delivered donuts to teachers. They brought them right to our classrooms! I had to ask myself, what do I want most - a donut (which is so yummy and melts on your tongue) or to feel good in 30 minutes (because later that donut sits heavy in my stomach and makes me feel sluggish)? I opted to skip the donut. It was a quick decision, but the consequence stayed with me. We make hundreds of these kinds of decisions every day - and they're not just about food.

So take a minute and think about what you want most over the holidays. How important is the food to you? (There is no right or wrong answer.) How does that play into your traditions and family time? Is there a way to modify current traditions to make them healthier? What will be some of your biggest challenges? Regardless of your choices, make sure they are INTENTIONAL and not REACTIONAL. I'll write more about this next week.

Tips for eating during the holidays.

• Don't put serving dishes on the table. Keep them on the counter and fill your plate from there. You will eat less if you have to get up to fill your plate.

• Only put three things on your plate at a time. Often you will find that you are full after the first three things. 
  
  
• Stop when you are full (meaning satisfied, not like you're going to explode).

• Use a smaller plate.

• Eat veggies and protein first.

• Stay busy. We eat more when we're bored or watching t.v.

• Don't graze. When the meal is over, put food away in closed containers.

• Drink lots of water. Don't drink alcohol, soda or sugary drinks.