IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR

For many folks here in America, this special part of the year signals a time for tricks and treats, giving thanks, worship, prayer, getting together with family, forgiving, and ushering in a new year. That's right, the next couple of months wreaks havoc on the American waistline. Well, this year I have a battle plan.

To keep me out of the Halloween candy, I have good quality dark chocolate. That way I'll still have my candy, it's less calories and I don't feel deprived. Those little fun size candy bars are good, but they pack a lot of calories. So be aware of how many calories they are and make sure they fit into your calorie allotment if you have some. And remember, lean protein helps with cravings.

Part of my weight management strategy is to "keep my body guessing". I'll touch more on that in a future post. I have my weight loss plan broken down into phases (1 month equals one phase). After phase 1 of my plan, I decided to have a free week where I wouldn't count calories  and eat anything I wanted. That was part of my "keep my body guessing" strategy. Well the first day of my "free week" went great, I had pizza which I hadn't had since I started. But let me tell you, the rest of the week was very long, I felt sluggish, bloated, tired and my body was rebelling from all the rich food I was having. I couldn't wait for the week to be over and vowed never to do that again.

So what I decided to do is to have free "DAYS" instead. My free days will be centered around holidays. Example: this year my I will have a free day on Thanksgiving and the day after. Then Saturday, I go right back on my plan. I will also do that for the next holidays in line. And I will do my best to maintain a steady and consistent "work-out" schedule (also good for battling "Holiday stress").

TIPS:    If you've been following along, your stomach has started to shrink, so you won't be able to eat as much as you used to. So if you decide you want to have "free days" also, you might want to keep your portions small, take a 15 minute rest and if you still feel hungry, then by all means have seconds.

And remember,  alcohol contains a lot of calories. It is known as "liquid fat" in weight loss circles. You can look up calorie amounts for specific brands and types of alcohol. Plus,  when you are inebriated, you're more likely to give  in to high calorie food temptations.  So if you plan on celebrating hardily with family and friends, make it a "free day" and you won't feel guilty the next day, then just get right back on the plan and you'll still be able to reach your goals. And by all means, drink responsibly and don't drive. We need you around.

These are just hints and suggestions. Do whatever works for you. The most important thing is don't put too much pressure on yourself and  have fun.