After the Holidays - Now What?

So what? You gained a few pounds. No big deal, right?

Not if you know some secrets to eliminate the extra poundage safely and effectively. Here's my list of the top 12 things you can do as we head into the New Year. You'll be lookin' and feelin' fine in 2009.

1. Meet yourself where you really stand on diet and weight loss. Do you think you gained all that weight in the last 4 weeks? Or did you really start in college or after your first child? Whatever the answer, be honest with yourself.

2. Analyze your favorite flavors. This is key to having a weight loss plan you can stick with. If you LOVE big flavors, then make sure you've got lots of spices around to liven up your food.

3. Was it the sugar? If you love the holiday baking treats, then you probably love most sweet foods. It's easy to say you'll cut out the cookies, the pies, the luscious holiday treats. But what about all those hidden sugars? Bread, potatoes, pasta, juices, and even yogurt are all loaded with sugar. Learn to read labels and concentrate on buying food with the lowest sugar content.

An example: compare sugars in yogurt with those in cottage cheese. Cottage cheese has only 3 grams of sugar compared with flavored yogurt, which can have 25 grams of sugar or more.

4. Portions are another area to examine. Pre-packaged food comes with the serving sizes listed on the label. If you cook at home or buy pre-made food, it probably doesn't come with the serving sizes attached. Learn what constitutes an average serving size. Here are a few that might surprise you. Pasta, rice, potatoes, carrots, peas, beets, and most other starchy or sweet grain or vegetable servings are 1/2 cup. Not much when you consider that the average person takes 2 CUPS of pasta before adding sauce. That's four times the serving size. Remember that the portion you put on your plate may not be the same as the recommended serving size. Here's a link to the MAYO CLINIC that might help.

5. Learn about good fats. These include real fats, not artificial ones. Also, don't cook with polyunsaturated oils. Fat is a necessary component of healthy eating. You can't process many vitamins or minerals without fat. Eliminate fried foods and eat more salad with healthy cold-pressed olive oil. Fat keeps you feeling satisfied and full longer, so enjoy avocado and other good natural fats as part of a weight loss plan. I often suggest clients eat 5 avocado halves per week.

6. Eliminate artificial sweeteners. Studies show that these actually cause overeating and weight gain. Soda is the biggest culprit. Learn to find a substitute such as ice herbal tea, sparkling water with citrus peel, or just plain water! Don't count on juice being better for you. It is loaded with sugar and has none of the fiber of whole fruit. If you are a juice drinker, learn to cut the juice with water.

7. Eat breakfast. This is a number-one mistake many dieters make. If you want to skip a meal, make it dinner. Better yet, don't skip meals and have adequate protein with each meal. If you want to eliminate a food group, I suggest starches and refined, processed foods of all kinds.

8. Learn to love exercise. There is no getting around this. Our bodies are made to move. Important! start where you are, not where you want to end. This means if you haven't taken a walk or gone for a run in 3 months or more, start with 10 minutes or less. Be determined to increase the duration and intensity over time. Make this a lifestyle change, not a quick fix to holiday weight gain. Find something you love. Dancing, swimming, tennis, even golf. Just do it! (Thanks Nike)

9. Drink plenty of water. You can start slowly if you don't already drink adequate amounts of water. Try to drink at least six 8-ounce glasses a day. Did you know that many people think they are hungry or need a snack, but really they are just thirsty. Learn to tell the difference.

10. Make a plan. If you plan your meals for the day, you're ahead of most dieters. If you can plan a week's worth of meals in advance, you are on a winning track. That's because when you plan and shop for healthy eating, you have a better chance of eating exactly what you know is healthy, rather than grabbing the first thing that comes to hand in the panic to satisfy your hunger. In addition, shopping for healthy food and not for junk food and tempting foods will keep them out of your home and out of reach. Why tempt yourself unnecessarily and sabotage your efforts?

11. Be prepared to be hungry - at least a little bit. We live in a land of abundance and we're not used to doing without. Learn to recognize the pangs of hunger, not just eat out of emotional need or habit.

12. You can also get support for weight loss. There are many organizations around the country. Here in Eugene, I will be teaching a series of classes called, New Year, New You! beginning January 17, 2009. Contact me for more information. I'm here to help.

Planning for Holiday Temptation

I've been slacking. It's hard to admit, but I have not wanted to post anything on my blog for a month. The reasons are varied and complicated, but the reality is that I've been busy.

Being busy is an amorphous expression that can mean doing anything that takes our time, energy and focus. No matter what the activity, we can say we're busy. In my case, it's about preparation for upcoming events.

We all have preparations for the holidays, even if we celebrate in a low-key way. We are currently snowed in with ice-encrusted roads, so I'm automatically less busy. That's because many of the events I've been planning for have been canceled. Guess I'm not so busy after all!

Instead of planning for events, I'm going to focus on a strategy for getting through the holidays without feeling bloated and overwhelmed. I'm sure I'm not the only one who dreads that experience. Here's what I do and if you have ideas, please post them here.

1. Plan ahead. A game plan before a party is really a smart way to go when it comes to curtailing over-eating and over-drinking. Example: eat more veggies than dip, drink 12oz of water before and after an alcoholic beverage.

2. Decide what YOU want out of the holidays. Do you want more time with friends and family, traditional foods that you only eat once a year, or something else entirely? Whatever it is WRITE IT DOWN NOW! This is a way to achieve what you want.

3. Big-spread bash strategy - decide before you go what you REALLY want. Write it down. When you get there, if it's a buffet check it out before loading your plate. Take only what's on your list. Savor and visit. Enjoy!

4. Hosting and potlucks - plan some healthy foods. I've noticed at the functions I've been attending that there is a serious lack of fresh veggies. Lots of fancy crackers, cheeses, potatoes dishes, etc. but somehow, those fresh veggies are missing. If you're the host, plan some crunchy munchies to nibble on. Same goes for that party platter you're taking to Aunt Sue's.

5. Saying thanks, but no thanks - this is often really hard, isn't it? Try out some good ways to say thank you to someone for their invitation or special holiday treat of double-fudge-mint-chocolate-chip anything, extra helpings, etc. Start with a positive statement, like "I love those! I'm really having a hard time resisting, but doctor's orders!" or "You are so good to think of inviting me! I just wish I could cancel that other commitment..."

You really can make the holidays more enjoyable, when you know what you want, make yourself a priority, and have a game plan. Here's to a happy, healthy, and abundant time for all!