Articles  & Research

Eat, Drink and ..... stay on your food plan ? Yes it is possible - Make sure that the turkey is the only thing getting stuffed this Year

By: Dianne Villano, CPFI www.mypersonalfitnesscoach.com

Thanksgiving.. the second food  based holiday of the  season. The average American gains 7-12 pounds between Halloween and New Year’s. Last month we addressed challenges specific to Halloween . Thanksgiving typically begins the alcohol part of the Holiday season. If you are planning on enjoying the holiday festivities with social drinking  here are some tips which will keep you from sabotaging your weight loss or health. For those not already on a fitness or nutrition so also starts " It's the holiday season, I will start my diet on the first of the year" itis.  If you haven't started a fitness program yet, why wait ? Why not give yourself the gift of a fit, trim body this year ? You can have a good time this holiday season without finding yourself 10 pounds heavier in January. 

1.      Keep your goals firmly planted in your mind.  We all get “caught up” from time to time. While in “the moment”,  it is quite easy to lose sight of your ultimate vision and why you  began your fitness or nutrition program in the first place. I always spend time,  prior to the beginning of the Holiday season, reinforcing our client’s “Why’s”.  How will your life be better when you are living at your goal weight? What will you be wearing? How will you be feeling? Where will you feel more confident or energetic? How will your weight loss benefit your family ? How are you feeling in  your current condition? Why the heck do you want to lose this weight anyway ? I suggest that people make a “why card” and keep it visible for those times when the going gets tough. You can also pick out a favorite outfit which  no longer fits , find a picture of an outfit that you would love to be able to wear, find a picture of yourself or someone else that represents your goal or find a “before” picture that represents something that you never want to go back to.  Keep them handy for a constant reminder of why you do  want to make the choices that will lead you to your goal .

2.      Keep an eye on serving sizes and portions – Any food (even not so healthy ones) can be worked into your food plan, it’s just a matter of awareness and balance. Many people label foods “good” or bad. In reality, it is all about portions and serving sizes.

3.      Avoid the “All or nothing” mentality. Let’s face it, no one’s perfect.  Chances are,  there will be a time or two when you go overboard. Don’t let this lead into an “I already blew it” binge that lasts until January 1^st.  No one or two days is going to make or break your fat loss efforts. The key is to get right back on track the next day and consider adding  some extra cardio in to work off the extra calories.

4.      Make a plan -  Plan how much you are going to drink before you go out and stop when you've reached your limit.

5. Have something healthy and filling to eat before you go out. Food slows the rate of the alcohol absorption. Drinking on a full stomach will also limit your alcohol intake

6. Have  non alcoholic 'spacer' between drinks like sparkling  water,  juice or  diet soda. Alternate alcoholic drinks with these non alcoholic alternatives

7.  Avoid drinking in 'rounds' - This will allow you to drink at your own pace and to control your sonsumption

8. Avoid cream-based cocktails and specialty drinks.

9. Compare the alcohol content of different drinks and select those with lower content.

10. Mix your drinks with diet soft drinks or water  or choose light beer instead of full strength.

          Copyright © Custom Bodies, Inc.  2004

Dianne Villano is the president of CUSTOM BODIES which  has been serving the Tampa Bay with Fatloss and body shaping programs since 1996  Dianne  is a contributing writer for over 20 on and offline media outlets.

You can grab a FREE copy of her ULTIMATE HOLIDAY FITNESS SURVIVAL GUIDE – How to Actually Lose Weight Throughout the Holidays at  www.mypersonalfitnesscoach.com/TheULTIMATEHOLIDAYSURVIVALGUIDE.HTM

The information on this web site is intended for information reference purposes only and is not intended as a substitute to professional medical advice. Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, it is recommended that you seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care professional. None of the information on this web site should be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition.

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