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Everyone cringes during the holidays knowing that there is going to be miles of food laid out and that you aren’t going to be able to control yourself. Here’s a few tips to help you enjoy the holidays without the guilt and suffering –

Don’t go hungry

Eat something, preferably healthy, before you go. A salad with a variety of vegetables and maybe some chicken and cheese will keep you from gorging at the party.

Don’t be a pig

It’s a fork, not a shovel. Slow down and enjoy the food.

I’ve been as guilty as anyone. All that great food! I used to eat 3 plates of food, now I eat 1½.

Sample everything

Take a taste of everything – not a full serving. Then you can go back for your favorites if you’re still hungry. If you’re not still hungry – don’t sit there picking.

Find something else to do

Dance, talk, help clear the table and get he temptations out of there, or with the dishes, or get some air, or get a few people to take a walk to look at Christmas decorations. Move away from the food!

Don’t be a party pooper

I have a girlfriend who will come and survey the food and point out all the things that she can’t eat. The poor me show is really annoying.

Don’t drink too much

Do I even have to say this? Its dangerous. Its fattening. Hangovers are horrible. Have a drink or two and stop.

Live a healthier life overall

Remember that if you eat healthier most of the time, a party, or even a few parties isn’t going to do that much damage. Maintain your healthier habits the rest of the time and you don’t have to feel like you have to miss out.

Living healthier is not about suffering. When done right, it makes your life better. Where we got so mixed up and decided that healthy is torture, I don’t know. I personally wouldn’t trade it. How about you?

Its the best gift you can give yourself.

 

Related articles

• Have A Healthy Merry Christmas (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Healthier Holiday Noshing (wholefoodsmarket.com)

One of the first signs of winter is a craving for spicy warming chili. Isn’t it crazy how our tastes change with the season?

Working the hours I’ve been working for the last 6 months requires me to plan ahead. Chili is easy to throw together, and can feed you for a couple of days. Add a salad, some warm crusty bread, and maybe a glass of wine or a beer and you have the makings of another great dinner.

Just make sure to not use more cumin than the recipe calls for. I put in a little too much this time. Its not bad, but its not my best either. Oh well. Its certainly a thousand times better than any canned or fast food options.

Just remember that chili is always better the next day.

Oh, but you’re thinking chili isn’t that healthy? Not true!

You have Beans, Tomatoes, Hot Peppers , Onion, Garlic . Chili is a great inflammation fighter.Even the Beer or Wine can be healthy in moderation.

What are you waiting for? Make a pot of chili –

Related articles

• New Chili Pepper Resources Published at Olericulture.org (prweb.com)

I used to dabble in bodybuilding, but the pros were so muscle bound that it was actually ugly. Even their faces looked manly. While I liked being muscular, I didn’t want to look like that!

I’ve been contemplating getting back into working out. It is the only way I can get any shape. Oh sure, I’ve gained a couple pounds stuffing myself silly on all the holidays foods; but once I return to eating normally that will all go away again.

I stumbled across some bodybuilding and fitness videos tonight that have peaked my interest in bodybuilding all over again – but this time its hot, sexy, fun, and feminine.

 

 

 
Don’t get me wrong – I have no intention of prancing around or competing at my age – but doesn’t that make fitness look like a lot more fun?

Is anyone interesting in striving for that kind of fitness with me?

I found the secret to gaining weight. Have holiday dinners at your house so you have all the leftovers! Allow everyone to bring a dessert. Have a birthday in there so you have to have birthday cake on top of everything else.

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful. The food was excellent. I think this turkey was the best I’ve ever made. Don’t know what I did different – maybe a little heavier on the garlic powder? It was definitely a food weekend.

My daughter’s birthday was Friday, so we went out for a really nice steak dinner. I’ve taught her to appreciate the finer things in life, and sometimes that costs me a bundle! But it was great.

Our dinner was on Saturday. We had the standard fare. You’d think we would be sick of it, but no…

And there were too many desserts. I knew we would have birthday cake and lemon meringue pie. I decided at the last minute that we had to have pumpkin pie. My stepmother brought fudge. My other sister brought a peanut butter pie.

I sent a lot of food home with people. And really it turned out to be a good thing that I had leftovers.

I’ve been eating at 9 at night. Thank heaven I’ve had lots of good food already made!

But my skinny jeans were a little hard to get on this morning…

Busy season at work still hasn’t ended. They even postponed the company Christmas party because we are too busy to shut down early even one day.

That reminds me – a girl at work is going Christmas Caroling, which made me dust off the old Christmas Carol ebook. Go ahead and download it if you need the words to favorite Christmas Carols. I originally compiled it for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. You can grab a copy of the words to your favorite Christmas songs here - (totally free)

We’ve made the transition to Christmas. My daughter was motivated and we got the tree up Sunday. I haven’t had the time to finish the rest of the decorating, but the house will be Christmassed out this weekend.

And we’ll have lots of December survival up over the next couple of days.  If you’re planning on great parties, and making food gifts, be sure to visit the Member Library for lots of great stuff.

Stay tuned…

First things first.

Stop the pity party. You didn’t do that much damage. You ate a few hundred extra calories yesterday. So What? A pound is 3500 calories. You didn’t get into trouble because of one day.

Now that you’ve stuffed yourself more than the Turkey – its time to step up and burn a few more calories.

The great thing about Black Friday is that its a lot of exercise. Park a mile away from the entrance, walk around all day, lug a bunch of stuff around, walk a mile back to the car. Except that you’re likely to get hungry while you’re in the mall – and most of the mall food choices will negate any calories you might have burned. Heres’ a couple things you can do to make sure that you don’t pile on more calories than you’re going to burn -

Eat before you go to the mall

Yes, I know – but do it anyway. Even if its a piece of toast, a yogurt and a banana.

Bring a water bottle

You’ll be surprised at how much longer you can go if you have water.

When you do have to eat

Opt for a salad or subway. Stay away from heavy fat and calorie laden dressings like ranch or mayo.

 

If you’re not going to the mall

You have plenty of cleaning up to do. Taking out garbage, vacuuming and washing floors will get your heart pumping!

Take a walk.

Pop in an exercise video

Go to the gym

Dance

Go bowling

Put up the Christmas tree

Put Christmas lights on the house

Get up and get moving. If you can break a sweat, that’s even better.

When its time to pig out on the leftovers, make sure that there are plenty of vegetables on that plate too!

I’m snacking on cranberries. Love ‘em!

Last, but not least – get plenty of relaxation and sleep. We don’t get enough of either of these. Take full advantage of this long weekend to get yourself rebalanced. The next month is going to be pretty hectic!

Related articles

• Video shows New Zealand helicopter pilot Greg Gribble survive crash after rotors get caught in Christmas lights (100gf.wordpress.com)
• Hey Momma! Check Out How Many Calories You Burn (fitsugar.com)

Tis the season for an over abundance of sweets and fats. The biggest holiday pitfalls are all things white and creamy. Here’s a few things to think about when you indulge –

Cream Cheese

1 serving of cream cheese is a 1 inch cube. Yeah, right.

Each 1 inch cube contains 100 calories. Not so bad, except that 80 of those calories are saturated fat.

The other shocker is the 105 mg. of sodium. Ouch! Skip the bagels and cream cheese, and eat only a little piece of cheesecake.

 

Ranch Dressing

Calories in 2 Tablespoons – 150. Calories from fat – 140.

Sodium – 300 mg.

Contains soy.

No nutritional value at all. I would put this on the ‘never eat’ list.

 

Mayonnaise

Calories in 1 Tablespoon – 90. Calories from fat – 90.

Sodium 70 mg.

Top ingredient in store bought mayonnaise – soybean oil.

Not the worst choice. Homemade would be best. Use sparingly. Most recipes call for too much. You can cut down without sacrificing flavor. Your recipes don’t have to be dripping in it.

 

Egg Nog

One of my holiday favorites.

Calories in ½ cup – 180. Calories from fat – 70.

20 grams of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup. UGH!

At least you get some calcium and protein.

 

Whipping Cream -

52 calories in a 1 Tablespoon sized serving. Yeah, right.

The chart I read said that there are 414 calories in a cup. That would mean 104 calories in a quarter cup, which I think is probably more like what we normally eat for a serving.

Almost all of the calories are from fat.

Does contain very small amounts of vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and protein. Its a whole lot better than the so called healthy alternative which is made of chemicals resembling plastic, with a lot of corn syrup. Ick.

Definitely skip the fake whip.

Now don’t go getting all crazy. If you eat healthy most of the time, a few times a year is not going to hurt you. So what if you pig out? Just go back to your healthy habits the next day – and maybe add some extra exercise for good measure.

Of course I’ll be real proud of you if you eat more vegetables

Related articles

• Denny’s Newest Holiday Monsters (friendseat.com)
• Homemade Almond Milk – Easy, Stunningly Delicious, and Completely Gluten Free (ingredientswechoose.wordpress.com)
• Paula’s Recipes: Dessert Cheese Ball (wncx.radio.com)

Thanksgiving Dinner is just a few days away. Are you stressing about all the bad for you and fattening foods?

I’ve got some great news for you!

A lot of the foods you are going to eat are really good for you.

Here’s just 3 of my top picks for super healthy foods you’ll probably eat -

Cranberries are a real powerhouse. they are packed with anit-oxidants, they flush bad bacteria from your system, remove plaque from your teeth and your arteries, help leg cramps.

Pumpkin contains Lutein, which reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, and age related macular degeneration.

And pumpkin is orange. You know what that means, right?

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It means pumpkins contain beta carotene – a powerful anti oxidant that is said to help prevent many cancers including prostate and lung cancers.

Pumpkins are high in potassium which is important for heart health.

They contain Zinc, which is important for your immune system and bone health.

Pumpkins contain a lot of fiber to help keep your body running smoothly.

Pumpkins contain lots of anti-oxidant vitamins A and C, and alpha hydroxy acids which makes pumpkin great great for healthy, glowing, anti aging skin. Hey, that’s the most important benefit to me

Walnuts are one of the richest sources of Omega 3s outside of fish. Walnuts contain a high ratio of ALA which is important of cellular health.

Nuts also contain L-Arginine which helps reduce blood clotting that causes clogged arteries, helps your body repair tissue, and supports your immune system.

Walnuts are rich in fiber, B Vitamins, and a natural source of Vitamin E.

Just think, those are only 3 of the super-healthy foods you are probably going to eat.

Did you get your copy of Dance Through Thanksgiving? Just click through to the members area and download your copy (even if you’re not a member yet). You’ll find an entire list of healthy foods you’re probably going to eat, and great planning guides and recipes to make your Thanksgiving Dinner one that will be talked about for years to come.

Related articles

• 5 Ways To Use a Pumpkin (lewrockwell.com)
• So Fresh & So Green: Top 10 Fall Superfoods (& Why They Are Good For You) (khmx.radio.com)