Holiday Tips & Treats That Wont Play Tricks On Your Waistline
|
Halloween ? so starts the Holiday Season. The average American gains 7-12 pounds between Halloween and New Year's . The next series of articles will help you ensure that you won't be among them. First, Halloween. As Halloween rears it's head, so does the plethora of wonderful smelling chocolates and other treats that tempt us as we walk through the aisles of our favorite stores. I will cover some tips, tricks and nutrition information for many of the popular candies to help you make the best choices . The moral is - if you can count it and limit it to a single serving , you can work it into your food plan and enjoy the Holiday festivities without sacrificing your fitness goals.
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. Make a plan - If you are like most people, you grab a "treat" or two every time you walk past the bowl. This can add up to hundreds of calories before you know it. Plan ahead and count a few treats into your food plan ahead of time. Count them out in advance and place them in a separate bowl or dish. This will keep you from feeling "deprived" and still allow you to stay on track towards your goals.
4. 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 1st. 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.
5. What is in YOUR candy bowl ? This can make a significant difference in how you manage your weight throughout the Holiday. Be aware, however, that "healthier" does not necessarily mean "fewer calories" , that "low fat" does not mean that you can eat twice as much, and that "lo carb" usually means more calories.
6. Choose candy you don't like: You will be less apt to eat out of habit and "take a piece or two" if you are not surrounded by your favorites
7. Choose alternatives to candy: Give out dried fruits, nuts, raisins, cheese and cracker packets, pretzels, popcorn , or fruit roll-ups for a more healthful "treats"
8. Choose low-calorie treats: Things like Licorice, popcorn, gummy bears, mints and marshmallows are all lower calorie alternatives
9. Choose small portions: Buy fun-sized chocolates instead of their full sized counterparts. Don't forget to count out in advance your allotted servings for the day.
10. Choose non-food alternatives: You can still enjoy the holiday festivities and keep the trick or treaters happy. Many stores and holiday shops carry a multitude of Halloween miniature toys, cars, glow-in-the-dark necklaces and other fun little goodies.
11. Be informed and prepared: Many people see the holidays as a time where nutrition labels don't matter because all "treats" are bad. During this time of year it is even more important to look at and compare nutrition labels and to be aware of SERVING SIZES. This will allow you to enjoy the holidays without sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Here is some nutrition information for you to consider. Nutrition information may vary from company to company and may vary from this list, please check your individual food labels.
FOOD SERVING SIZE CAL CARBS FAT Fun Sized StarBurst 1 pkg 40 8 1 Marshmallows ½ c 45 12 0Fruit rollups 1 roll 50 12 0Junior Mints 1 sml box 55 12 1Raisins 2 tsp 60 14 0Fun Sized 3 Musketeers 1 bar 70 12 2.5 Fun Sized Milky Way 1 bar 90 14 3.5Hershey's Kisses 4 100 12 6 Fun Sized Butter Finger 1 bar 100 15 4 Fun Sized Kit Kat 1 bar 100 12 5 Pretzels 22 pieces 110 22 2 Dried Apricots ¼ c 130 30 0Fun Sized baby Ruth 1 bar 130 17 7Goldfish 55 pieces 150 25 5Nuts ¼ c 160 6 15 Cheese & Crackers 1 Pkg 220 44 5M & M's 1 sml bag 220 50 5
About The Author
Article written by Dianne Villano, President of Custom Bodies Personal Training and Weight Loss Programs. Dianne is a personal fitness instructor certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine with over 16 years of experience who specializes in weight loss programs and programs for beginners. For more articles or free fitness tools visit www.custombodiestampabay.com.
|
|
|
Valentines Day
Ever wondered how February 14 became, the day on which we celebrate and explore love in all its many ideals, Valentines Day.There are many differing opinions on how Valentines Day started.One story say that when the Roman Empire reigned, a festival every February was held in honour of the God of Fertility and during this time, young men would choose their mate. When a Emperor named Claudius can around, he outlawed all marriages in fear that the men would not be able to fight. Young couples still fell in love though and still wished to marry and they took these desires to the Catholic Bishop Valentine who, understan...(related: Holidays)
Cashless Gifts
Sometimes gifts that are truly from your heart have no cash value. But the value to the recipient can be more than any amount of money could provide. These gifts are truly from your heart to theirs.Look at the person's life and what they need. Maybe grandpa can't climb the ladder to prune his trees or bending down to those shrubs is more difficult than it used to be. Someone just broke their legs and lives in an apartment with a dog. Walking that dog is a major concern for them.If you just look, you will find many things to do which are cashless gifts from you.-Volunteer to work for a week at their favorite charity. You may put up signs, file in their office, call for don...(related: Holidays)
Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas
Now that the biggest shopping season of the year is in full swing it might be a good time to create a holiday budget. I'm sure there are lots ...(related: Holidays)
The Holiday Shopping Experience - Rewarding Or Traumatic?
Picture this scenario! It's December 24th, the day of Christmas Eve. On this day you should be relaxing, enjoying time with family and thinking of all the precious memories you have created throughout the year.No, wait! It's the last day of shopping before Christmas and you haven't even started to do your gift shopping.You get into your car and fight traffic all the way to the local mall, only to spend an hour trying to find a parking spot. That is if you find one at all. Y...(related: Holidays)
Greeting Card Tango: How To Impress, Not Stress, During The Holidays
When it comes to holiday greeting cards, to send or not to send is often the question. Once you have decided in the affirmative, you then have to determine who to include on your list, what kind of card to choose and how to address the envelope.There are lots of reasons for sending those holiday cards. You might want to enhance your current business relationships, attract new customers, remind old clients that you exist or show appreciation to those who have faithfully supported you during the year. What is obviously a well-meaning gesture can actually offend the people you want to impress when it is not done properly.The first place to start is with a good qu...(related: Holidays)
Wolves, Goats, Martyrs And War: A History Of Valentines Day
Valentines Day is one of the most enigmatic of holidays, having appeared in many forms. But all "Valentine's Days" have drawn suspicion. In fact, after hundreds of years of attempted reform, Christian observance came to an end when the Catholic Church purged St. Valentine's Day from its calendar in 1969.Still, the holiday continues to inspire an annual avalanche of cards, not to mention the mass consumption of chocolates, flowers and sometimes, pricier presents. What do we commemorate when we celebrate Valentine's Day?- Running with the WolvesIf you've ever researched the history of Valentines Day, you know it began with wolves and ancient Spring magic. The earliest instance we know of starts with the tough old shepherds and founders of...(related: Holidays)
How To Create An Irresistible Valentine?s Day Centerpiece
Valentine's Day is just around the corner which of course makes us think of love, romance and of course flowers! It seems this special day wouldn't be com...(related: Holidays)
Mommy...daddy...is There Really A Santa Claus?
Is there really a Santa Claus? Any parent who hasn't been faced with this question most likely will at some point. But how do you answer this? No one wants to crush a child's dreams of Santa and holiday magic.Some kids, like me, are crushed at school when they hear from a classmate that they found all their presents under their parents' bed, thus, proving there really is no Santa. Then, reasoning sets in, which is about the time they begin to wonder why they have been told this fairy tale all this time as it wa...(related: Holidays)
Creative Christmas Gifts
Christmas is always the time of year we consider to be the best opportunity to give something special to someone and show how much we appreciate him or her. The mall is full of wonderful, shiny and delicious gifts and the Internet offers countless items that we can send to someone without ever seeing the prod...(related: Holidays)
Bust Holiday Stress!
The holidays will be here before you know it. Clear the way for greater joy, love and meaning this year by "busting" these sources of holiday stress:1. TOO MUCH TO DO IN TOO LITTLE TIMEThis week, set holiday priorities with your family. Discuss what traditions to keep, which to discard, and which new traditions to try.Make a holiday to-do list NOW and create a realistic schedule for when to accomplish each item.Avoid overscheduling.Ask family members for help with holiday tasks.2. LONG LINES IN STORESShop via catalog or Internet, and avoid stores on weekends.If you're shopping with small children, take along snacks, books, toys or other items to make waiting in line more pleasant. Or, if you're sufficiently uninhibited, sing a holiday song with your ch...(related: Holidays)
Traditional And Modern Anniversary Gifts
Most people know that the 50th wedding anniversary is the "golden" anniversary, and that the 25th is silver. But beyond that? Here are some traditional and modern conventions to follow when selecting anniversary gifts.But don't li...(related: Holidays)
Planning A Spectacular Christmas Party
The holiday season is typically filled with large fancy parties, small intimate gatherings, and extravagant dinner parties. Planning your own Christmas party can seem like you're competing with hundreds of other festive events during this time, but by adding special touches to every ...(related: Holidays)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved. | Holidays