It\u2019s almost on us — the most treacherous time of the year for those of us working to live a healthy lifestyle.\u00a0 It\u2019s THE HOLIDAYS!\u00a0 What makes you blow your plan?\u00a0 Stress?\u00a0 Temptation?\u00a0 Busyness?\u00a0 The next six weeks are permeated with those very things.<\/p>\n
The average American gains about two pounds a year.\u00a0 Half of that weight accumulates during the last few weeks of the year.\u00a0 For those who have been sticking with a moderate, low glycemic eating plan the damage can be worse. Your autopilot gets the idea that the famine is finally over. Time to stock up on fat supplies for the coming year!\u00a0 Dropping off the plan until the new year can quickly add back the pounds you shed with such difficulty.<\/p>\n
So, how do you avoid holiday weight gain? \u00a0 You can do it if you plan ahead.<\/p>\n
If you are headed to a family get-together, make sure you take along some tasty and healthy that you can eat.<\/em>\u00a0 You can offer to make the cranberry sauce or sweet potatoes and sweeten them with a sugar alternative.\u00a0 Celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese or nut butter, deviled eggs, olives — all are low glycemic and will help your plan as long as\u00a0 you don\u2019t eat them in a crazy way.\u00a0 And, of course, you can eat the turkey.<\/p>\n Before you go to a party — eat.<\/em>\u00a0 Make sure you don\u2019t arrive starved and in a state of weakness.\u00a0 Prepare a\u00a0 healthy\u00a0 low glycemic treat to eat at home after the party is over so you don\u2019t feel deprived.\u00a0 Knowing I have something to look forward to at home has helped me over many temptations!<\/p>\n Try for a low stress season.<\/em>\u00a0 Don\u2019t over plan activities, but schedule some relaxing down time for yourself.\u00a0 Put it on your calendar so when other demands on your time come up you can truthfully say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I have something already scheduled for that day.\u201d\u00a0 No need to explain that it is looking at Christmas lights with your spouse or staying in to watch a movie with your feet up.<\/p>\n Donate instead of shop<\/em>.\u00a0 We spend so much time hunting for gifts and tend to overspend when we finally find the perfect one.\u00a0 Why not donate to a good cause in the name of your gift recipient?\u00a0 Most of us don\u2019t need more stuff and would be happy to see a donation made to a cause that is close to our hearts.\u00a0 Just make sure that your donation goes to a group that he or she cares about and agrees with.\u00a0 (I don\u2019t want a donation made in my name to Planned Parenthood — thanks anyway!)\u00a0 Don\u2019t know of a good cause?\u00a0 Hmm.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to clue you in on some of my personal favorites tomorrow.<\/p>\n Take a good look at what you have coming up and do some creative planning.<\/em>\u00a0 How can you work in some extra exercise?\u00a0 What recipes can you use in place of the fattening traditional ones?\u00a0 Do you REALLY have to do the stressful things on your list?\u00a0 Are you actually obligated to go to all those parties?<\/p>\n Make it your goal to make this holiday season be about family and faith instead of food and stuff.\u00a0 I think you\u2019ll find it the merriest you\u2019ve ever had!<\/p>\n Eating to live and living for Christ,<\/p>\n Susan Jordan Brown<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s almost on us — the most treacherous time of the year for those of us working to live a healthy lifestyle.\u00a0 It\u2019s THE HOLIDAYS!\u00a0 What makes you blow your plan?\u00a0 Stress?\u00a0 Temptation?\u00a0 Busyness?\u00a0 The next six weeks are permeated with those very things. The average American gains about two pounds a year.\u00a0 Half of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":423,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,68],"tags":[154,293,35,306,276],"class_list":["post-1959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-eating-plan","category-encouragement","tag-donations","tag-holidays","tag-low-glycemic","tag-stress","tag-weight-gain"],"yoast_head":"\n