3 Tips NOT To Gain Weight Over Holidays

It is the holidays and food is everywhere, so what can we do to NOT gain weight?!

Holiday Tips To NOT Gain Weight

Remember these tips when celebrating, going to parties and enjoying family and friends. These few simple things will ensure that you don’t literally “roll” out of the holiday season and into the New Year!

Holiday Food Tip # 1

Stay active!

Dancing is one way to stay active that works right into the holiday entertainment!

There are always ways to add activities into your life so that you do not ONLY eat! Park further away, take a play romp with the little ones outside, or dancing are just a few of the many ways you can stay active. Every little bit counts!!

#2 Don’t Let Food Pushers Push You

Don’t let “food pushers” push you into eating more!!! We all know what a food pusher is… someone who pushes food on you! Eat this or that, eat more, have seconds…. 

These are the people who, for whatever reason, seem to believe that they cannot have any holiday fun unless they get you to give in to their food weaknesses.

Whether it is a co-worker with a can of cookies or Aunt Mary with her extra helping of mashed potatoes the best thing to do is keep saying “no thank you!”

#3 Don’t Let Emotions Play Role In Holiday Eating Choices

We are cave people living in the 21st century.

Emotional eating was programed into us during the cave man/woman days. A cave person’s stress was in the hunt as well as in other crisis. It usually meant eat or be eaten. Stress today may not mean a life-or-death situation, but our programing still operates with a “grab and eat” emotional response.

A strategy to prevent emotional eating over the holidays is to be mindful. You can be mindful by making a plan, either for the whole holiday period or on an event-by-event basis.

Constantly remind yourself of your plan and bring yourself back to the here and now, notice what’s in your hand, notice what’s on your plate, and pay attention to what you are eating.

Holiday Tips Newsletter & NY Resolution Club

As the holiday rolls along we will keep sending out holiday tips and beginning January 2nd we will be providing support for NY resolutions.

If you want more information about the New Year’s Resolution Weight Loss Club join this list so that you get all the announcements. 

Please share any holiday tips you may have in the comment boxes below this article!

Holiday Breakfast Treat – Corn Meal Pancakes

Healthy Corn Meal Pancake Recipe

This healthy cornmeal pancake recipe is a fun, fast and healthy breakfast treat. The cornmeal pancake recipe serves 6 and is a comfort food treat that makes a great holiday breakfast. The pancakes themselves take a bit longer to cook than normal pancakes.  2 pancakes 4″ – 5″ are a portion for this hearty breakfast and they will fill you up too!

Just look at all the healthy ingredients!!

Holiday Cornmeal Pancakes

We used raisins today. To make a nice holiday treat after putting your pancakes on the grill dot them with dried cranberries or frozen blueberries.

1 egg

1- 1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 cup organic low fat yogurt

2 tablespoons grape seed oil

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 -1/2 cups cornmeal, unsifted

1. Combine all ingredients and whisk until just blended smooth.
2. Let batter stand for 10 minutes. Bake on hot greased griddle until nicely browned on both sides.

Cornmeal Pancake For Snack

I love to save the leftovers for a snack. Just pop one cornmeal pancake in the toaster for a few minutes and smear your favorite nut or seed butter on it. I love almond butter or sunflower seed butter on a warm toasted pancake for a healthy snack!

Healthy Holiday Leftover Recipe, Fast Meal!

Use Any Holiday Leftover In This Recipe

This is a great meal to make in a hurry from scratch as well as for using leftovers.

As it reads below, you can take this healthy dish to your table in “17 Minutes or Less” using all fresh ingredients. If you want to use leftovers, just substitute any item you want.

The ingredients below are all raw. If you use cooked leftovers they should be added in as the pasta finishes cooking instead of at the beginning. Be creative! Turkey, beef, squashes, cooked green beans all go perfectly with this One Pot Wonder!

Fast & Healthy Meal = One Pot Wonder

When finished this recipe is creamy like macaroni and cheese and very colorful. A colorful plate is the first sign that you are giving your family a wide variety of nutrients.

6 cups chicken stock or water
1 (10 oz. box) bow tie whole wheat pasta
1 small head broccoli – sliced
1 small onion – sliced
8 oz. boneless chicken breast- thin sliced
2 medium carrots – sliced
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil-diced
black pepper to taste

1. Bring the stock or water to a boil.
2. While it is heating chop your broccoli, onion, chicken, carrots.
3. Add all ingredients to pot, down to cream cheese.
4. Cover and return to a boil.
5. After returning to a boil uncover and cook 7-8 minutes till pasta is done.
6. Stir in tomatoes, pepper and cream cheese. Whisk hard to blend.

If you use water instead of stock, taste it when it is done and add some salt to the finished pot.

This recipe really is fast if you take advantage of the time it takes to bring the water to a boil to chop your other ingredients.

Our 6 Week Healthy Living Program is not really a diet… it is a living program that will last you the rest of your life! Imagine never having to go on another diet again!!