Monthly Archives: December 2014

The presents are opened and the holiday gatherings are mostly behind us. I’m guessing you might have a few leftovers hanging around—like maybe some Christmas cookies and fudge?

When you have all of that good stuff staring at you it’s pretty difficult not to eat it, right? I mean it may be another year before you get another chance to eat Aunt Mary’s pizzelles or your mom’s fudge. You’ve already decided you’re going to eat better, start working out, and drop those extra pounds in 2015—so why not indulge yourself and totally enjoy the rest of December?

Well, you could. Or you could also choose to begin making changes right now. Just take some small steps, like giving away those leftover sweets! Give them to your neighbors or take them to the office—just get them out of the house! Yeah, you could freeze them—but having the microwave right there makes it all too easy. Better to remove them all together!

If you want to ease into it—make a healthy paleo dessert that you can eat when you want something sweet. If you’ve been eating sugar over the holidays chances are you’re probably craving sweets right now. But you can get yourself off of that blood sugar rollercoaster by getting some good fats and protein in your diet—and cutting out the sugar.

Today I made a batch of the Paleo Brownies that I shared with you in October. If you missed the recipe here’s the link: http://elanaspantry.com/paleo-brownies/ I spread raw walnuts on the top and pressed them into the batter before I baked them…yum!

If you’re ready to make healthy changes in 2015 and want support I’d be honored to guide you in reaching your weight loss and wellness goals. You can sign up for a complimentary wellness strategy session by emailing me at: Debbie.lunnon@mindfulwellnessco.com or calling 303-905-5007.

And don’t forget to sign up for my free teleconference call: STRESS CAN MAKE ME FAT?! on Tuesday, January 6^th at 6:30pm MST. Click this link: http://conta.cc/1wGL89L to sign up and get an access number and code.

Last week we talked about what you should eat before going to the big holiday party so you could make good choices rather than overindulging and regretting it later. So...what do you do once you get there?!

It’s like walking into the land of culinary temptation, right? All of your favorite desserts, dishes, and drinks...and sometimes food that’s only available one time a year...and this is it! You don’t want to miss out on anything! So you fill your plate, and maybe go back for more... or at least to get the stuff that didn’t fit on your plate the first time around. And all of those scrumptious desserts! They deserve their very own plate, don’t they?

Now while you’re excited about the food I’m guessing there’s some part of you that is feeling a little guilty about the whole thing.   Or you’re making a deal with yourself that you’re going to have a food frenzy now and start your diet January 1st.  Feast, then famine--all or nothing.  How about trying to find some middle ground?

No one wants to feel deprived--so how can you enjoy eating the foods you love without ending up feeling bad and adding unwanted pounds?

Eating well during the holidays doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of all your favorite holiday foods and treats. But you have to be mindful about what you’re eating and plan ahead a little. At your next holiday celebration try this:

• Make sure you have a good portion of protein on your plate (meatballs, chicken, etc.) and some fat (guacamole, nuts) that will help you feel full and satisfied.
• Be sure to grab vegetables (there’s almost always a vegetable tray).
• Don’t feel you have to say yes to every food that’s offered to you. Pick and choose, and if you feel you’ve had enough simply say “no thanks.”
• Leave what you don’t want on your plate. Remember to think about eating until you “aren’t hungry” rather than until you’re “full. It’s better to leave some food on your plate rather than store it as fat, right?
• Limit your alcoholic drinks. Alcohol adds excess calories-especially drinks made with sugary mixers--and drinks with cream like white Russians or eggnog can contain as many as 700 calories each! Try drinking a glass of water between drinks. You’ll feel so much better the next day.  🙂
• Eat holiday treats for dessert. Instead of eating sugary foods on an empty stomach (which will result in more sugar cravings), eat them following a meal or snack containing protein and good fats.
• And most importantly, slow down when you're eating and savor every single bite!

Enjoy & Happy Holidays!!

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I’m really looking forward to having you join me on my free tele-training call on January 6th called: Stress Can Make Me Fat?! Five Keys to Joyful & Mindful Eating in 2015. But in the meantime I want to give you a few suggestions that will help get you through the holidays without adding unwanted pounds!

Ok, so the big Holiday Party is coming up! Everyone who’s anyone will be there and you know exactly what you’re going to wear. You also know that the food and drink will be fabulous and you’ll be overindulging a bit.

So, how do you do a little damage control? How about starving yourself the day of the party so when you overindulge later you pretty much break even? Makes sense, huh? Not really, guys.

When you don’t eat enough nutritious food during the day (including ample protein and good fat) you actually set yourself up for overeating—and sometimes even bingeing later. Have you ever had such a busy day that you didn’t get a chance to eat (or you purposely didn’t eat because you wanted to drop a few pounds) and by the time you got home you were RAVENOUS and ate everything in sight? Even though your stomach was full your brain kept telling you to eat more?

That’s what happens when you don’t get the nutrients you need during the day and your blood sugar is low. You don’t really want that to happen at the party, right? So here’s a better plan if you’re game to try it…

The day of the party:

• Eat breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner or afternoon snack depending on the time the party begins. Make sure you’re including protein (eggs, turkey, chicken, beef, etc.) a little healthy fat (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.) and vegetables each time you eat.
• Skip the bread, chips, cereal, crackers, cookies…all processed carbohydrates and sugars.
• Eat until you’re “not hungry” rather than until you’re “full”…or eat to the point of feeling energized.
• Drink plenty of water so you’re well-hydrated (alcohol is dehydrating).
• Try to fit some exercise into your day…even just a brisk walk.

Now you’ll arrive at the party feeling energized and mildly hungry (or not hungry at all) rather than starved! And if you have a cocktail or two you’ll still be able to walk and talk. That’s always a good thing.  🙂

Next week I’ll show you how you can thoroughly enjoy the food at the party without overeating and feeling stuffed. Isn’t this getting fun?