CLICK HERE FOR BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND MYSPACE LAYOUTS »

December 14, 2009

See You Jan. 2010!

Hello lovely peoples! I would like to thank each and every one of you who are followers, silent followers, stalkers, readers, viewers and supporters of this blog. However, due to the holiday season and all that is going on, I will not be posting on this blog until Jan. 2010.


Therefore, I'm taking a nice break from ALL of my blogs. I want to come back refreshed, renewed, rejuvenated, and have fresh new material for you all.

Some of you all may know that I manage 5 blogs. Well, I will now condense them down to 3!

Thank you all again for the love and support. Special shout out to all my commentors! I appreciate it. I hope and trust that everyone will have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Be safe, I love you all, and let 2010 be the best year from now on out. Live your life to the fullest in Jesus name! Amen!

See you all next year! (Sounds far doesn't it, lol!)

December 07, 2009

10 Eating Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season


Food is an important part of many holidays, celebrations, family and cultural traditions.In fact, special occasions often center around food. As a result, many people gain a little (or a lot of) weight between Thanksgiving and the New Year. What’s to blame? Perhaps it’s all the tempting treats available during the holiday season or the pressure from family, friends, and co-workers to overeat. Maybe it’s the increased emotional eating (whether it be from holiday stress or holiday joy) or the extreme laxity with eating and physical activity regimens in anticipation for the strict “new diet and exercise plan” you’re going to start January 1st. Regardless of the reasons, it is not necessary to avoid holiday festivities in an attempt to maintain your weight. Consider these 10 tips for fully enjoying the holiday season without gaining weight!


1. Focus on weight maintenance vs. weight loss during the holidays. If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not the time to do it. Maintenance of your present weight is a big enough challenge during the holiday season. Don’t set yourself up for failure by making unrealistic goals for yourself.

2. Plan on NOT dieting after the New Year. Anticipation of food restriction sets you up for binge-type eating over the holidays (“after all, if I’m never going let myself eat this again after Jan. 1st, I might as well eat as much as possible now!”) Besides, restrictive diets don’t work in the long run. They increase your loss of lean body mass vs. fat, slow down your metabolism, increase anxiety, depression, food preoccupation, and binge eating, and make weight re-gain more likely.

3. Be physically active every day. Often, students’ busy holiday schedules (or lack of structured schedules) bump them off their exercise routines. Physical activity, especially aerobic activities (like brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, roller blading, and swimming) can help relieve stress, regulate appetite, and burn up extra calories from holiday eating.

4. Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties. It is not a good idea to arrive at a party famished. Not only are you more likely to overeat, but you are also less likely to resist the temptation of eating the higher fat and higher calorie foods. Try eating a piece of fruit, a small carton of yogurt, or a string cheese before you go.

5. Make a plan. Think about where you will be, who you will be with, what foods will be available, what foods are really special to you (that you really want to eat) vs. those that you could probably do without, what are your personal triggers to overeat and how can you minimize them. Once you've thought about all of these things, make a plan of action. It's much easier to deal with a difficult social eating situation if you've already planned for it.

6. Take steps to avoid recreational eating. While some foods are more calorie-dense than others, no food will make you gain weight unless you eat too much of it. At parties and holiday dinners, we tend to eat (or keep eating) beyond our body’s physical hunger simply because food is there and eating is a “social thing.” To avoid recreational eating, consciously make one plate of the foods you really want. Eat it slowly--enjoying and savoring every tasty bite. Then, when you’re done, pop a mint or stick of gum in your mouth, get a tall glass of water and sip on it throughout the night, or position yourself away from the buffet table or food trays to keep yourself from overeating.

7. Reduce the fat in holiday recipes. There are plenty of low fat and low calorie substitutes that are amazingly tasty. Try using applesauce in place of oil in your favorite holiday breads; use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs; try plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream. Magazines are full of reduced calorie and reduced fat holiday recipes. Give them a try, and share your cooking creations with friends and family.

8. Choose your beverages wisely. Alcohol is high in calories. Liquors, sweet wines and sweet mixed drinks contain 150-450 calories per glass. By contrast, water and diet sodas are calorie-free. If you choose to drink, select light wines and beers, and use non-alcoholic mixers such as water and diet soda. Limit your intake to 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per occasion. And, watch out for calories in soda, fruit punch, and egg nog as well.

9. Enjoy good friends and family. Although food can be a big part of the season, it doesn’t have to be the focus. Holidays are a time to reunite with good friends and family, to share laughter and cheer, to celebrate and to give thanks. Focus more on these other holiday pleasures, in addition to the tastes of holiday foods. The important thing to remember is balance and moderation. It’s OK to eat too much once in a while. Just relax, enjoy the holidays, and remember what the season is all about.

10. Maintain perspective: Overeating one day won't make or break your eating plan. And it certainly won't make you gain weight! It takes days and days of overeating to gain weight. If you over-indulge at a holiday meal, put it behind you. Return to your usual eating plan the next day without guilt or despair ?

Happy Holidays!

--Created by Sheri Barke, MPH, RD 2002


December 04, 2009

Shopping and Preparing For The Holidays



It's that time of year again. From Black Friday to preparing Christmas dinner, the hustle and bustle is on from now til January. Getting the home ready, putting up the tree, buying gifts, wrapping gifts, sending out Christmas cards, calling love ones checking in, and even hair/nail appointments, seems like the list never ends. It's best to shop early as possible. If you are a heavy shopper then you might need to consider to take a day off from your job. Let your theme be "Keep It Simple" when shopping. You can start by writing a list from family/friends to gifts and items that need to be brought. Make sure your list is very detail and as you complete each one, don't forget to check it off. If you are going to purchase an expensive gift, try and call around to different stores for prices. You might find it cheaper then what you anticipated on spending. Check your local newspaper for sales and coupons. This will help and make it easier on the pockets. Again, I highly encourage everyone to shop first thing in the morning. Lines are shorter, crowds are smaller and the store is more organized.

This is the time to keep everything organized and reasonable. Try and delegate holiday responsibilities to your husband and children (if you have any). You want to enjoy and have peace during this busy time of year. If you have older children, get them to participate more and make it fun. Teach your 5 year old how to wrap daddy's Christmas gift. Hang Christmas stockings (or whatever tradition you do this time of year) and have your children to decorate them.

If you do not have children, then there are plenty of things to do with other couples. Invite a few good married couples over and fellowship. Make if fun! Have everyone to bring a dish (make it easier on you *wink*), provide drinks and maybe an appetizer or two. Try and make a signature Christmas drink that everyone will enjoy and talk about. Hot apple cider, egg nog, creamy latte, or hot coco with a peppermint stick would do the trick! Play fun creative hands on games, go see a Christmas play at a church (free), watch a movie, or carpool to see the Christmas lights and have dessert afterwards. Just be creative. Who knows maybe this could be a start of a Christmas gathering at your house!

Whatever you do, remember to "Keep It Simple" and enjoy and embrace the season. If plans don't follow through, don't sweat it, just have a plan b. Don't sweat the small things. When it's all said and done, you want to have you sanity.

All that you do or don't get to do, don't stress it! Make the best out of it.
Yours Truly,
Lady A