Wednesday, November 10, 2010

How NOT to gain weight over the holidays!

In this month's issue of the Minnie Pauz Newsletter, I provided a few tips for how not to gain weight over the next couple of months. Here's a repeat of the newsletter plus some additional chit chat about it. I hope to hear from many of you about how YOU deal with this too.

With Thanksgiving (in the US) coming up this month, I thought I'd let you in on how I plan to prepare for the day without blowing all the hard work I've done in the past 7 months to lose 50 lbs.

First of all...for those of you who have just started noticing the perimenopause symptoms hitting you, please start NOW to manage your weight and exercise! If you don't change it now, you will be very unhappy with it in a year or two and it's SO much harder to do something about it!

Tip #1....get the right attitude. Instead of thinking of dieting or sacrificing, start thinking in terms of feeling healthy and happy...because that will be what you become once you have decided that this is what you want. It's really your choice. Simple as that. 


Actually think of the benefits of NOT eating everything that is available to you and really, is eating a donut going to make you happy AFTER the holidays or just for the few moments while you're eating it? I think we all know the answer to that. How long does it take to start feeling guilty about what you just ate--for me it's always as soon as I swallow the last bite! And see if this hits home...when I'm really honest with myself I always say, "it wasn't really that good".


Do you have some tips for how to change your attitude? Please share what works for you or ask questions if you need help in doing this!


Tip #2....Make some small changes in your habits starting today. Don't wait until the day before to decide you're going to control yourself....it won't happen. Do something simple like eating more salads or go for a walk right after a meal. Any kind of change will help kickstart your brain into thinking "I'm in healthy mode" and "I can do this"!


The best trick I did for myself was to change my routine starting with getting dressed as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning! Instead of fixing my coffee and checking my email first (in my nightgown), I got fully dressed including socks and walking shoes IN THE BEDROOM. Then I went to fix my coffee and check my email, but as soon as I saw the sun coming up that was my trigger to grab my phone and camera and walk out the door for my walk!


What would work for you to shake you out of your current routine? I know you don't all work at home so would it be better to set a time after work where you can make changes?


Tip #3....Find foods that you REALLY like that fit within the plan that you choose (ie: nuts, fruits and veggies) and have them available and ready to eat! For me, since I'm on low-carb, I have hard-boiled eggs cooked and peeled so they're ready for salads, deviled eggs or just a quick snack. I keep them in a container of water and they keep for a long time.


Another thing I do is prepare a large bowl of salad "fixin's" so I can quickly have one of my favorite chef salads as an inbetween meal. I keep all the stuff that a salad buffet would have (including bacon bits and chopped eggs) so that I really enjoy that salad instead of having to hunt and search for what I want. I even add roasted sunflower seeds and/or sliced strawberries to my salad to make it seem extra special. 


Tip #4...Make the decision to change BEFORE the Holidays instead of after and you will be amazed at how much easier it will be! Honestly, if you make a plan and commit to taking these small steps, you will find that you feel that you're finally on the right path to a happier, healthier you!! Don't put it off like we've all done for so long...."I'll start after the holidays". How many YEARS  have we said that?


Tip #5...Commit to your friends and family on Facebook or your blog or Twitter. It definitely makes a difference. The daily encouragement and motivation is great, and being accountable is extremely helpful.


Ok, you've got 2½ weeks before Thanksgiving! Ready, Set.....Go!  You can all share some of your ideas how to get through the holidays without suffering the after effects. We have enough trouble with weight gain from menopause without adding to it during the holidays!

4 comments:

  1. Good stuff, here.

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  2. I pick my favorite food of the meal. If it's Thanksgiving, then I really want to eat the stuffing. It's my favorite so I make sure the rest of my plate has healthier options. Some things I only eat once a year and don't want to pass up. I can have mashed potatoes anytime. Why waste the calories?

    The trap people fall into is thinking they need to have a little bit of everything. Having smaller portions doesn't make them calorie free.

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  3. Great tip, Holly! That goes well with my "planning ahead". I feel if you have your intentions and priorities already established before the big day, it will be easier to follow through and enjoy your meal. I would also encourage everyone to walk after dinner instead of sitting down. :)

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  4. These were great tips. I especially liked the one about planning ahead of the holidays for my goals. Thanks for the reminder that I can eat after the Holidays too. I guess Christmas dinner is not my last supper. Ha ha Sally Franz, author, "Scrambled Leggs"/Amazon/Kindle

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