Holiday Eating Tip Avoid Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Watch out for the partially hydrogenated oils! During the holidays these buggers can be hiding out in a variety of places, including pastry wrapped around appetizers and in pies and cakes.

When you see baked goods that are not home made, the chances are good they have some of these nasty oils because it is easier and cheaper for the commercial bakers to use them.

You have the most control over the ingredients if you are the one providing the treat. When buying goodies for yourself, parties, the office or to give as gifts, if you do not have the time or desire to bake yourself, check with the local bakery--whether in the grocery store or a separate specialty shop. Ask them if they use any partially hydrogenated oils. Or if you buy a packaged type at the grocery store, read the ingredients list and pass if they are present.

If you are someone else's party--whether their home or office--it is better to be safe and presume the goodies are store bought and may contain partially hydrogenated oils.

Taking Action

You have defined your goals, set your intentions and made plans to support them. And for some of us, we have been given the opportunity to see how we can refine those plans and make them even better.

So what is left to do? ACT upon them.

• Move more.
• Contact your chosen support personnel.
• Go to the grocery store and buy raw nuts and veggies.
  
• Move some more.
• Cut up the veggies to have on hand for noshing.
• Put a small baggie of raw nuts in your purse or briefcase.
  
• Move again.
• Call your support people and USE them!
• Talk about your feelings rather than shove down with food
• And did I remind you to move?
  

And remember to take one day at a time...heck, take it one bite and one step at a time.

And please, take the time to breath in the sights, sounds and smells around you this season. Appreciate the people around you. Enjoy the next month and know that you didn't miss out on anything! That way you can start the new year with joy in your heart, pride at your accomplishments and a heart filled with happy memories!

Are You Happy After Thanksgiving?

How did you do on Thanksgiving regarding your health goals?

Did you follow through on your plan?

Did you move more?

Did you enjoy some of your favorite foods in moderation?

Or perhaps did you overindulge a bit -- or a lot?

In other words, are you happy with how your Thanksgiving went? Are you happy with the decisions that you made?

If you are, CONGRATULATIONS!

If you are not, dust yourself off (gently) and reset those intentions...one day does not ruin your program UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO LET IT! So if you made some less than perfect decisions, follow them up with better ones!

Take a few minutes today to reflect back on what you could have done differently yesterday that would have allowed you to feel better today. Don't beat yourself up, this is observation time, not a day of judgment.

Now, include those insights you have gathered into your plans for the remainder of the holiday season--and let's talk tomorrow about taking action!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is a day to be grateful for the many blessings that we have in our lives.

Enjoy the day. Savor the flavorful food, stories and love.

• I am grateful for the wonderful people I have in my life, for my health and for the beauty that surrounds me.

• I am grateful I wake with a smile on my face, for hot coffee on a cold morning, for safe travels and healthy food to fill my belly.

• I am grateful for my loving partner, my friendly neighbors, for warm sun and the moisture that the snow brings.

• I am grateful for the peace in my heart, for the optimism I feel in the country and for equality for all of God's children.

Share the love, folks! Extra helpings of hugs and well wishes all around!

Planning for Holiday Meals with Friends and Family

We've been talking about plans to support your health goals over the holidays. What can you do when you are invited to someone's house and you really have decided you are going to drop pounds over the holidays?

Yesterday we discussed what you can do at home right before the event, but your plan can start much before then.

First, you can let you host or hostess know that you are watching your calories/fat/carbs whatever, and can (s)he tell you what the menu will be ahead of time so you can plan accordingly?

This one can be tough...One of the best ways to use this information is to let your hostess know you will be planning your other meals so that you can thoroughly enjoy what she is preparing.

You really cannot expect the host to change the menu at the last minute to accommodate your dietary constraints. And if they do accommodate you then it might be awkward to have dessert if you told her that you were watching fats...so be consistent with your requests and your actions.

Ask if you can bring a dish to help with the meal. Many hostesses will love to have someone take on a task! One of my favorite things to bring is a vegetable pot--a bunch of great veggies all cooked together with seasonings. Cut up veggies and put in an oven safe pot with a lid. Add a little water and your favorite seasonings (I like Herbs de Provence). Cook with the lid on so the veggies steam. Healthy, delicious, light--and easy.

Another great tip is to bring a hostess gift. Many people bring wine or chocolates...you can bring a basket of fruit or special sparkling water. While there is no guarantee that the hostess will open the gift during the evening, she might and then you will know that there is something you can enjoy, too.

Or ask if you can bring some sparkling water! Reducing alcohol is a great way to keep to your health goals. Not only does alcohol have a lot of calories and sugar, it also reduces our inhibitions and so we tend to eat more than if we didn't drink!

Holiday Eating Tips for Weight Loss Goals

So you have set your intentions and figured out what kind of support you want from friends and family...and asked for it. Awesome!

What are some other things you can do to ensure your success over the holidays?

Do not go to events hungry! It seems counter-intuitive, but eat something before going to a party. Most dinners do not start at the time of the invitation. You'll have time before for hors d'ouevres and drinks which can really add to the calorie load. The temptation is to starve all day so that you can eat whatever you want at the party. This always leads to eating way more.

I suggest a handful of raw nuts (most of the nuts you will find at parties will be roasted...enjoy them in moderation, but buy raw nuts to have on hand at home!) Raw nuts help suppress appetite and have lots of the healthy fats which help you feel satisfied.

Other foods to have to munch on before you go to a party are raw vegetables. Leafy salad is not a big winner in my book at this time of year...I like finger foods. They are easier and feel more like a treat! I buy some of my favorite veggies like red peppers, sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes and english cucumbers. Normally I would put them in a wonderful salad, but for this purpose I cut them up and have them ready for noshing as is.

Add a little protein and fat (the good kind) by having a tablespoon of hummus, peanut butter or yogurt (try plain mixed with mustard for a tangy dip) and you have a healthy snack that will keep you going until the main meal!

And please remember, the holidays only come once a year... enjoy some of your favorite foods...if you are going to be upset that you didn't have Grammie's special pie you will be more apt to "fall off the wagon" later and do more damage to your health goals than if you just had a small piece and savored it!

Planning for the Holidays

It is important to have some plans in place that support your intention. Let's face it, intentions and affirmations all by themselves are not what it takes...you have to plan and take action. Remember the saying "the path to Hell is paved with good intentions"? Well that is true about intentions for our health...just replace Hell with Ill-Health and you get the picture!

I suggest you enlist the support of a few close friends and family members. Do not broadcast to the entire clan-- either on the work or home fronts --that you are on a diet or health journey or that you intend to maintain or lose weight over the holidays. Not everyone will be supportive of your goal. Others may be supportive but will try to help in their way, which may not be the best way for YOU.

Carefully choose your allies. Typically the best people to select are folks who are also health conscious, no matter what their weight is.

Set up the ground rules! Don't just ask people for support--tell them how you want to be supported.

• Do you want someone to point out to you that what you are about to eat has 200 calories a bite?
• Do you want a walking buddy so that you know you will keep your body moving when it would be easy to let that slide?
• Do you want a person to be able to call when you are feeling "called" to eat?
• Do you want someone who will listen to you express your feelings/stress/anxiety so that you don't stuff them down with food?
• Do you want a friend to go to social gatherings with so that you know you have at least one person you can talk to rather than grab more food or drink?

Think about what you want in a support person. Then choose your person based on the type of support you want and if you believe that person can provide it for you. In other words, if you need someone to listen to you express your feelings, and your feelings are triggered most by your mother, then she might not be the best support buddy for that purpose.

You can have more than one support person--in fact I encourage it. Maybe Mom can't be your emotional support, but maybe she can help by preparing a favorite dish that is a healthy choice. Or maybe she is a great choice for going for walks after every meal!

Sometimes you don't have to let a person know you have selected them...for example, if you are going to be visiting family for the holidays and you decide you want to move your body more, you could enlist a sibling as a walking buddy. Or you could say "wow, I could really use a short stroll around the block after that delicious meal...anyone want to join me?" OR use the opportunity to have a little one-on-one time and select a different person and say, "Sis, we haven't gotten much time to catch up, how about just you and me go for a spin around the block and chat?" That way you get your body moving and you have a chance to visit with some of your favorite people away from the crowd!