Holiday Tips for Keeping Off Weight and Avoiding Temptations

By Lauren Showers
Team oxygenfit


www.oxygenfitstore.com

From popcorn garlands to holiday cocktail parties, Santa's cookies, school-made gingerbread houses, cookie swaps, and candy cane giveaways. it seems we are surrounded by the temptation of endless empty calories during the holiday season. All the eating opportunities presented to us makes the thought of squeezing into that little black dress for New Years a little daunting. Because of this overwhelming time of temptation to over gorge and satisfy our little taste buds, it takes more than merely the desire to maintain your waistline. While simple everyday choices like passing on the pumpkin pie will help you avoid the extra pounds, it takes a deep rooted commitment of consistency to pull you through to the New Year with success.

Decide today that, "Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels." Every time you are tempted, repeat these words to yourself and watch it empower you to say, "No thanks". While it is important that you don't allow yourself to indulge in all the goodies it is just as important to have balance. If you deny yourself of every treat without any room for error you are bound to binge, leaving you with the feeling of failure. To avoid this from happening, decide what treats you will allow yourself that week. For example; "If I eat healthy Monday through Friday and resist the temptations, I will allow myself to enjoy a dessert at the neighbor's holiday party this weekend." Staying healthy should be the goal at this time of year, but it should not be to lose the extra five pounds you have been working on for the past few months. Maintenance and balance should be the focus and keeping the scale steady is succeeding. Come the New Year you can work on the numbers dropping, but for now keeping it from traveling upward is hard enough work as it is.

HOLIDAY TIPS TO KEEP YOU GLOWING THROUGH THE NEW YEAR

1. Dine before you dash - Eating something healthy before going to a holiday party will help you resist the temptations.

2. No buffet binging - Your eyes tend to be bigger than your stomach, choose a variety of foods in small portions.

3. Prepare to eat, not cheat - Bring a "healthy" holiday dish to your parties like whole-wheat ginger snaps that won't be as bad to munch on.

4. Keep moving - Be physically active everyday (exercise alleviates stress, regulates appetite and burns off extra calories)

5. Slow and steady - Eat slowly and only until you are not hungry anymore. don't keep eating until a Santa belly appears and then decided it's time to stop.

6. Write it down - Writing down what you eat will provide a reality check on how many calories you are actually consuming and will help you resist in the future.

7. Let it go - If you overeat one day don't let it ruin your enthusiasm. Life is about balance. Forget about it and work on getting back on track.

8. Don't sip your calories - Alcohol mixed with sugary juices, creamy eggnog, and open wine bars are not your friend this season. Enjoy your calories through the foods that are present rather than gulping them down.

9. Warning signs - If a food is fried, creamy, cheese filled, a processed meat, pastry or baked good try to avoid them at all cost. These foods tend to be the highest in fat and calories.

10. Substitute - There are hundreds of great low-fat and healthy recipes out there for our favorite holiday dishes. Start by substituting unsweetened applesauce for oil, using whole grain instead of all-purpose flour, trying Stevia or Splenda instead of table sugar and reducing the amount of salt the recipe asks for. Every little adjustment helps.

By consistently focusing on your health and allowing for a little wiggle room you are sure to be stunning in that little black dress as you enter into 2008. Happy Holidays!
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In Health and Pure Joy,

Lauren Showers, Team oxygenfit
P.T, Certified by American Council on Exehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifrcise,
Fitness journalist & model


www.oxygenfitstore.com