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Indulge Without the Bulge
Dining out and socializing are hard enough but the holidays make it exceptionally tempting and difficult to manage. The key is having a game plan or strategy to help you be successful.
The idea is not to deprive yourself, nor is it to starve yourself all day and then succumb to overeating because your body is craving nutrients and you are overly hungry. To put this into a more practical way, eat lighter during the day, eating more of the things you are not likely to eat at the large meal of the day. In other words, save your fats and heavier carbohydrates for the festive meal therefore balancing your day’s food allotment.
Remember planning this ahead of time, not the day of the event, will go a long way in implementing it into action. Also consider what time of day the big meal is occurring. You may want to save lunch as a dinner option if you have your big meal earlier in the day. Remember this is all part of learning maintenance skills. Building these skills now prepares you for social events the rest of your life.
SAMPLE MENU
Breakfast: It’s still the most important meal of the day! A 2 egg-white omelet made with your favorite veggies, such as mushrooms and onions, tomatoes, topped with salsa. (Those on higher calorie plans may want to add whole grain toast and a choice of fruit.)
Lunch: Large green salad with lots of lettuce and veggies. Use your favorite non-fat dressing; or try salsa with vinegar or honey mustard with non-fat Italian. Add a cup of non-fat yogurt and fruit of choice.
Dinner: Taste everything, but eat nothing! This means having small tastes, 1-2 tablespoons of the things you only, really enjoy. Avoid consuming excess food just because it’s there and it’s expected of you. Avoid putting it on your plate if you don’t even enjoy it. Take the time to actually mindfully consume your food. (If you are preparing the meal, chew gum so you aren’t tempted to “graze;” have others taste for you; also consider using our handout for cutting fat and calories without compromising taste in your holiday meal.)
Hors d’oeuvres: pick 1-2 items that you truly enjoy and savor them
Vegetables: If unbuttered or without a sauce eat as much as you like.
Dressing: tablespoon
Salad: Control dressing if possible
Gravy: tablespoon
Turkey: 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards.
Mashed potato: tablespoon
Roll: How necessary is it? Eat half or less.
Cranberry: tablespoon
Dessert: tablespoon or tiny portion
Alcohol: Limit this to one glass only! It weakens your overall resolve around food and contributes to fat storage more than any other food!
Go into the holidays ahead truly believing that you will be successful at managing your weight and it will become a self fulfilling prophecy!
If you would like more information please feel free to contact Lauren Walker, Club One’s Santana Row Lifestyle Coach, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
