Just Lose the Weight!

 

• Get moving: Exercise is the quickest step you can take for the most immediate defusing of the stress response and release of energy.  Just a 10-minute walk or bike ride can give you the energy boost and stress-busting action you need.

• Breakfast: Although not new news, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. Don't leave home without it! It stabilizes your body's chemistries, which in turn gives you more energy, an increased ability to concentrate, and an appetite that is in control.

• Never, never starve the day of a party, big gathering or meals: You will only throw off your metabolism and set yourself up for a caloric crash. Instead, once you get your day started with breakfast continue to eat "mini-meals" about every 2 1/2 hours. It will do wonders in keeping your metabolism and appetite under control.

• Always eat a healthy snack before going to a party: It will curb your appetite to manageable levels, and allow you to "taste" and enjoy" rather than "hunt and bag.” Go for energy-boosting combos like fresh fruit with low-fat cheese or yogurt, a half sandwich, or even a Trail Mix of dry roasted peanuts and sunflower seeds mixed with dried fruit.

• Stay away from the food table: This will help you avoid eating without thinking and engage in great conversation. No one will notice the life of the party isn't eating.

• Just say no: Don't be pressured into eating something you are trying to avoid. No need to explain why. Don't open the door to sabotaging voices that chime, "It's the holidays -- start your diet in January." Just say, "no thanks. I don't care for any." Say it enough and you'll start believing it too.

• Save the best for last: If you are overcome by visions of sugarplums and decide to have a sweet treat have it at the end of your meal rather than having it as your meal or your snack. This allows the balanced meal to temper the insulin surge, keeping blood sugars more stable and keeping you out of the "more you have, the more you want" syndrome.

• Drink water, drink water, drink water: 12 ounces of cool, clear water will hydrate your over-tired, over-shopped muscles and release the unwanted fluids being retained from over-partying. It will also prevent fatigue from the demands of the season. Coffee, tea and eggnog just don't do it!

• Remember that it's not the big parties that are a problem: It's the day-to-day eating. Avoid the "I've Blown It Now!" syndrome -- one lapse needn't become a relapse and don't let it become a collapse! Look at each meal as an event. Don't wrap it all into one bad day or one unhealthy weekend or an entire holiday season. Get right back on track with the next meal or snack. Your body will stabilize quickly, and you'll be thanking yourself the next day.

• Recharge and refresh: In your hectic schedule of gift buying, gift making and gift wrapping, carve out one hour (or longer!) for your own gift. Make it an hour in which you'll have nothing to do. Plan ahead on when the hour will be, but don't plan what you'll do. Otherwise it will become one more thing on your "to-do" list. If this sounds impossible, grab what you can: 10 or 15 minutes of peace can give you enough recharge to rise up to the challenges of the season. Retreat to your bedroom or office, close the door, unplug the phone, and sit quietly.