Once You Achieve Weight Loss Success, You Can Have A Cheat!

Posted on December 26, 2013 by therapysoup

I have been so good. I have not had any cake, cupcakes, etc. for two years. Everything I have had that is chocolate related or sugar related, has been low-carb and controlled.

The renown Sprinkles cupcakes have come to my area and on my bucket list was to try their well-known cupcakes. So, today, as a treat for weight stabilization, I went there with my husband and we bought one “black and white” (chocolate cake with white frosting). It was ridiculously good, but I am so glad I split it with him. It is 62g of carbs for an entire cupcake. I ate about 30g of carbs. I felt stoned. My eyes glazed over and I was all shaky and hyper feeling. I knew I would crash and it has been about 3 hours and I am really tired. The sugar roller coaster sucks, which is why I have gone white flour and sugar-free for so long. No wonder America is in such a mess eating this stuff every day.

Here is what it looked like:

So, I got it out of my system and now I have to work out to help burn those carbs out and I am eating few carbs today to make up for the higher carb desert.

My point is that I haven’t done this in a long time and I don’t recommend it until you have hit a point in your eating style that it will not throw you off of the wagon. I have eaten well so long now, I have no trouble getting back to my fruits, veggies, proteins and salads. The danger of doing this early on in your diet, is you might feel guilty and it could send you in a downward spiral of cheating. I know that I can do it, I did it! SO, I had my cheat and now–back to my normally scheduled program.

My recommendations for you!

You should set a goal. That you will lose a certain amount of weight and then you can get your treat. Maybe you need the motivation!

In the meantime, I am perfectly happy with my low-carb cookies from Lindora, Netrition.com and Carbessentials.net. I also like Breyers Carb Smart ice cream and Dreyers no sugar added ice cream. Those don’t leave me with feeling overly sugared and then exhausted from the sugar low later.

10 Strategies to Stay Thin Throughout the Holidays!

Posted on December 24, 2013 by therapysoup

10 Strategies to Stay Thin Throughout the Holidays!

Get enough sleep. Our bodies store more calories as fat when we’re sleep deprived. When we are tired, we turn to food as comfort, consuming more calories than when we’re well rested.
Don’t skip meals. It not only slows down your metabolism, If you skip meals, you’ll be hungrier and more likely to overindulge later in the day. Eat healthy, balanced meals and protein-based snacks and you’ll find it easier to stay in control.
Plan ahead. When going to a dinner party, call ahead to find out what foods will be served so you can plan your strategy. Offer to bring a healthy, delicious side dish you know you can enjoy without guilt. Skip the carby sauces, glazes and gravies. At buffets, only put a healthy portion on your plate with good choices and stay away from the buffet. No more trips. Keep a calorie-free beverage near you the whole time.
If you start to feel out of control, breathe and even step away and relax. Remind yourself that you are in control of your choices. Think about the benefits of making healthier choices, and pay attention to why you’re eating. Are you really hungry, or are you tired, angry, or bored?
Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water every day. We often think we’re hungry when we’re actually thirsty. Water cleanses your system, curbs appetite, and reduces fluid retention. Drinking water can also increase your energy level. The dehydration that occurs when you don’t consume enough fluid can cause you to feel less energetic and become more easily fatigued.
Avoid or limit alcoholic beverages. Besides being high in calories, alcohol tends to trigger carbohydrate cravings and hunger, and can diminish your resolve to stick to your eating plan. Alcohol also interferes with your body’s ability to burn stored fat for fuel. Stick with calorie-free soda or mineral water with a slice of lemon and you’ll save yourself hundreds of empty calories. If you do indulge, mix alcohol with something calorie-free such as water, diet soda or tonic, or sparkling water.
Avoid the temptation to have “just one bite.” For many of us, it’s easier to avoid certain foods entirely than to try to eat them in moderation. We all know what our “trigger foods” are, so watch out.
Stay away from buffets and party platters. Out of sight doesn’t necessarily mean out of mind, but it’s a lot easier to resist those high-calories hors d’oeuvres and holiday sweets when they’re across the room.
Move your body! Plan to take a brisk 10-15 minute walk three times a day—you’ll burn calories, reduce stress, and feel great. Wear a pedometer and see how many steps you can log in a day. Maybe joining a walking club will motivate you.
Give yourself permission to stress less and do less. One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves this time of year is the permission to slow down and focus on those things that really give us the greatest joy. Decide which traditions have the greatest meaning to you and your family and ask whether the way you spend time and money aligns with those values. Take a deep breath and let the deeper meaning of the holidays into your heart.

To Get Thin and Stay Thin, You Have To Think Thin

Posted on December 20, 2013 by therapysoup

7 Tricks to getting and staying thin:

1. Do you want to be thin?

You have to want to be thin. Most unsuccessful dieters rely on diets to make them thin. They want the diet to make them thin rather than become slim through the diet. Many people think that they don’t have the willpower to lose weight. It is in your power, you have to want it. Don’t tell yourself that it is too hard, because the power of suggestioin will win out.

2. Do you make food the center of your life?

Stop using food as a way to deal with feelings. Many people eat out of boredom, anger, frustration, lonliness, feeling scared, depressed and basically unloved. Think of five activities that you could do intead of eating. Make a list. Don’t combine all activities with eating. When, I feel like eating, I go for a walk, use my elliptical, go to my workout classes, go on the computer, call a friend…….find things to do that distract you from food. When I feel like I want to eat, and it isn’t time yet, I eat a piece of cheese, but I have coffee or tea. That helps soothe out the need to eat and gives your lips something to do. Meet people to do something athletic (hike or bike), or at a coffee shop and only have coffee or tea–or bring your Greek yogurt with you.

3. Can you tolerate hunger:

Feeling hungry is not a disaster. You need to overcome the feeling that you might die if it is not time to eat yet. Have a drink of water or other low-cal beverage. Learn to stop eating WHILE you experience the hunger. It will go if you give it time. Don’t give into it.

4. Do you have bad body image?

You have to believe you will be thin to make it happen. Then, if you follow the rules and have a positive mindset, it will happen.

5. Did you set an achievable goal?

Don’t set an unreasonable goal or you will feel like a failure and give up. You can always reset goals, once you achieved a reasonable one. Don’t go crazy. I wanted to lose 30 pounds and once that I saw I did it, then I upped it to 10 more.

6. Did you up your physical activity?

A sedentary person cannot at the same amount of food that a phyically active person eats. If you ant to lose weight, and not eat very few calories, you have to pick up the pace. Do even just 15-20 minutes of something a day. Walk the dog!

7. Can you imagine something gross or distateful when you look at something decadent like a cookie?

It helps to use aversion to lower your desire for food.

Society is Addicted to Crap Food and Lost Their Discipline

Posted on December 14, 2013 by therapysoup

Going to be tough today!

Every day I have a salad with some form of meat and/or cheese–with vegetables, for lunch. I also have a salad at dinner, but the salad and veggies might be separate from my meat.

But, for the most part, that is what I eat. I have discipline. I have snacks in between and after dinner–protein-based.

It saddens me to see people trying to lose weight and still get stuck on eating white bread sandwiches (which have gluten and no nutritional value at all–it is all about just FILLING UP THE BELLY)–and boy does it fill up the belly, outwardly.

But, SO many people now seem to feel that they need to wash that sandwich down with a bag of chips.

I eat at a lunch place where they serve salads, sandwiches and soups. There is a rack of potato chips to choose from. Everyone who orders a sandwich (except my husband), grabs a bag to have with their lunch. Most people eating salads seem to know better and don’t eat the chips.

What is the deal with the chips? Is everyone so addicted to the carb, glucose-high?

Do you want to lose weight? You have to get through the addiction. I did it. I was addicted to pasta (wheat-based). It takes a few weeks and you must have a lot of low-fat cheese snacks and hard-boiled eggs to tide you over until the addiction clears…but it does. I learned to like coffee even more.

Then, you will lose the weight and keep it off.

Until then, the chips and bread are winning, not you! Nutritionally, they are useless. A lot of sodium (Not good for the heart), few vitamins, only 2g of protein and 24g of carbs. If you want to lose weight and only want 50 to 100g of carbs a day, you are going to waste it all on a bag of empty chips? It is going to turn to sugar and only make you crave more sugar later (about 6 sugar cubes worth)….

The sandwich in itself is about 24g of carbs for the bread. Great–in one sitting, little nutritional value and around 50g of carbs. This is not going to help with losing weight.

So, it is your choice. Do it or not. Stop complaining though if you don’t lose and you hate how you look!

Time Lapse of a Woman Losing 88 Pounds in a Year on the Ketogenic Diet

Posted on December 9, 2013 by therapysoup

My diet is based on a Paleo diet that focuses on being ketogenic. What is that?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, measured out amount of adequate protein and low carbohydrates.

The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose (sugar), which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fueling brain function. However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketones.The ketone pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a state known as ketosis, and that is when you start burning fat and lose weight.

I followed the ketogenic diet and I lost about 10 pounds a month, which then trickled down to a lesser amount until completion of the diet. I started my diet in September, 2011 and lost 40 pounds by the the end of January, 2012 (about 5 months).

My diet consists of 6 protein based meals a day, every 4 hours. Two small salads a day, four small servings of vegetables a day and two small servings of fruit per day (with my carb instake being only 50g to 100g per day). I stopped eating most wheat products, rice and potatoes. In the maintenance phase, you can incorporate those in, but you should measure out carbs and you should not go over 150g of carbs per day if you want to stay thin.

Below 50g of net carbs each day is sufficient for most people to stay in ketosis. Make sure to get your carbs from vegetables (10-15g), nuts and seeds (5-10g), and fruits (5-10g). Keep in mind that in Europe food labels generally show net carbs, while America shows total carbs. Calculate net carbs by subtracting fiber from total carbs.

Medicaldaily.com wrote about a woman following this diet and they showed a time-lapse video of her transformation of 88 pounds in a year. Check it out. I can attest to the magical effect of this diet, as far as I changed in the same way. However, I did exercise during my transformation, which is why I lost 10 pounds a month and she seemed to lose about 6 or 7 pounds per month.

http://m.medicaldaily.com/time-lapsed-video-shows-womans-transformation-ketogenic-diet-88-lbs-lost-5-seconds-255799

Eat Well, Look Good and Live Well

Posted on December 4, 2013 by therapysoup

I read stories daily about how eating well can actually heal your body. How many of you want to lose weight, but also have health concerns?

It doesn’t just affect your blood sugar and diabetes, or your high blood pressure and hypertension……I read today that nutrition has a lot to do with plantar fascitis foot pain. And there are many other issues due to poor nutrition.

. http://www.everydayhealth.com/foot-health/nutrition-and-your-feet.aspx?pos=2&xid=nl_EverydayHealthManagingDiabetes_20131203

There are many cancers and health issues coming from just eating processed foods, artificial dyes, high fructose corn syrup, GMO products, etc.

If you are addicted to junk food, there are a bevy of health issues that could lead to health concerns, mental health issues, as well as obesity.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/359768-why-is-junk-food-bad-for-your-health/

Junk food:

It’s low in fiber.
It’s high in palatability (that is, it tastes good).
It offers a high number of calories in a small volume.
It’s high in fat.
It’s high in sugar in liquid form

Processed food:

It is highly addictive and slowly killing you with its low nutrition, its use of genetically modified products, they cause gut inflammation and lead to further breakdown of the immune system, they are full of pesticides and they just ruin your insides.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9686/how-processed-foods-are-killing-you-one-bite-at-a-time.html

The best foods for you are on the outer skirts of the market. The organic fresh fruits, veggies, lettuce products, fresh grass-fed meats and organic eggs, bovine growth hormone free milk products and nuts. All of the stuff that is easier to get to–in the center–about 80 percent of it didn’t even exist 100 years ago. That stuff in the boxes–those are processed foods. And some are way worse than others.

If you choose to eat a Paleo diet, chances are that you will not only lose weight, but you will get well or stay well.

Since I stopped eating things that were not so prevalent many years ago, I am feeling better and look my best. I used to be very sick and I am doing much better than ever. Even my skin glows now. I stopped eating stripped wheat and I actually avoid wheat. Once in a while, I have a Perfect 10 Wheat Bagel from Western Bagel. I also stopped eating rice…if I had any at all, it would be brown rice or quinoa (and only a golf ball sized portion). I stopped eating starches like potatoes and once in awhile, I put some carrot strips in my salad. No one has to eat potatoes. If you want minerals or iron, there are so many healthy foods to choose from to get those things. Kale, Spinach, brocoli and Cauliflower have many necessary minerals in them.

And I hate to ruin your breakfast or lunch (hopefully it is not some nice GMO cereal or Mac and cheese, because here is an example of what the processed food companies would like you to not ever see.

Here is what happens to rats who eat nothing but GMO products: (I hope it makes you think!)

REMEMBER THIS SHOULD BE YOUR MOTTO~

Perhaps Your Choices and Portions at Thanksgiving is Why You Gained Weight

Posted on December 3, 2013 by therapysoup

I have talked to many people about Thanksgiving food. I am not sure how it came to be that a holiday designed to give thanks and spend time with relatives–has now somehow turned into a carbolicious food fest.

A few years ago, I went to my husband’s cousin’s house for Thanksgiving. I had a tough time finding something decent to eat. The turkey was ok, but there was no salad. There were green beans, but they were smothered in horrible bad GMO Velveeta cheese and not some kind of low-fat bovine growth hormone-free cheese. And there were those horrible processed onion things were on top. There was white bread in unhealthy fattening stuffing, cranberry sauce (sugar fest), white GMO dinner rolls, margarine (where is the organic butter?) and nasty box-made mashed potatoes. No wonder people get fat. Then, there is pie! One small slice of pumpkin pie alone is 300 calories. I think the average amount of calories eaten at Thanksgiving dinner tops 1500, easy.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE SUPER-SIZED PORTIONS THAT PEOPLE SERVE THEMSELVES, AND MORE THAN ONE!

Here is what most of the portions looked like at the cousin’s house (throw in a non-nutritious dinner roll):

Next is the proper size of a “Traditional Thanksgiving Meal–made in a more healthy way–and the right measured out portions. At least if you eat this, you will not gain a lot of weight. (4 ounces of protein and keep in mind, only 50-100g of carbs per day. More on the veggies, less on the stuffing and potatoes. In this picture–turkey, a touch of stuffing with mushrooms, just a splash of cranberries (not the canned stuff), and a serving of veggies. Perfect!

It takes 30 minutes of running fast for 3 miles to burn 300 calories, and about an hour to do fast walking to lose 300 calories. You would have to walk for 5 hours to burn off that dinner. It could take many days of exercise to burn off that meal.

What I had for Thanksgiving:

For breakfast, I had a Western Bagel Perfect 10 low carb bagel with egg and cheese on it.

I made turkey meatballs and sauce with spaghetti squash for lunch.

For dinner, my husband and I had the sliced turkey breast that we bought the day before. We had a little gravy and had some great grilled asparagus and baby broccoli, with a great salad with cheese. A nice normal sized portion too.

And my snacks in between were nuts and a protein bar.

For after-dinner dessert, I had low carb ice cream.

I was full, satisfied and happy. I didn’t gain a pound. I will do something similar for Christmas.

If I am stuck at a person’s house again:

I will either eat before I get there and just have some turkey.

I also could ask the host in advance if there are going to be vegetables and salad, and if not, I will bring my own.

**I have NO qualms or embarrassment that I have to eat a certain way. If you are embarrassed, you can just say it is for “doctor’s orders for more greens.”**

You should never have to gain weight or make yourself sick with wheat products, gluten or excessive carbs to make others feel comfortable.

If someone gets their panties in a twist over it, they either do NOT give a damn about you and your quest to be skinny, of they feel guilty because they wish THEY could go on a proper diet and they are either too stubborn, too carb-addicted or afraid to rock the boat in their relationships.

Any way you look at it, YOU have to take care of YOU! There is a good chance that you gained weight because you have trouble saying NO! Learn healthy boundaries for your own happiness and stop worrying about others.

There are always food saboteurs out there. Like the man in my Pilates class, who is thin and brings the class (who are there to get in shape) brownies or chocolate cake. I think he gets some sick, twisted enjoyment out of watching them eat his stuff. He never knows what to do with me, because, I always tell him, “No thank you. I don’t eat sugar anymore.” And the fact that he still asks me, shows how manipulative he is!

What if the problem is your cravings cause the problem with eating fattening things?

Yes, it is hard to get over cravings, but it is possible. I did it! Takes a few weeks, but you have to stick to it and find healthy alternatives (I write about that all of the time in my blog, just do a search).

If someone is having onion rings, I sometimes will allow myself to eat ONE, then I am done. Fried food with breaded batter=unhealthy and fattening.

You have to learn this and get over what McDonalds got you addicted to eating. Those carbs are killing America-and you and me. We have to take charge of our bodies, our mouths and our lives. Eating potato starch, pie sugars, fatty cheese, white breaded stuffing carbs and sugars–even once or twice a year is not showing respect for your body. Even ONE cheat is do-able, but it is nothing but bad food city all the way through on this crazy holiday food fest.

10 Bad Food Habits

Posted on November 30, 2013 by therapysoup

1. Mindless Eating

The larger the plate or bowl you eat from, the more you unknowingly consume.In one recent study. Don’t buy the extra-large popcorn at the theatre for the great price…and don’t use a large bowl or dishes at home.

The Fix: Eat from smaller dishes. Try swapping out your large dinner plate for a salad plate, and never eat straight from a container or package.

2. Nighttime Noshing

It is WHAT you eat and WHEN you eat that counts. Nighttime eating is worse for a diet.

The Fix: After dinner, teach yourself to think of the kitchen as being closed for the night, and brush your teeth — you’ll want to eat less with a newly cleaned mouth. If a craving hits, wait 10 minutes. If you’re still truly hungry, reach for something small like lite string cheese, low-fat Greek yogurt or a piece of fruit.

3. Endless Snacking

Snacking round-the-clock, often on high-calorie foods that are full of empty carbs is bad for a diet. People are snacking more and more often on unhealthy junk food–including salty chips, soda, and candy.

The Fix: Keep only healthy snacks within reach, such as hummus, low-fat cheese, eggs, carrots and cucumber slices, air-popped popcorn, yogurt, and nuts. Don’t stock your desk or pantry with potato chips or cookies you know you can’t resist.

4. Buying Chips Every Time You Eat a Sandwich Out

You know that breakfast I eat at a sandwich/salad shop a lot. I always have a salad with vegetables and a protein in it. But, a lot of people come in for a sandwich or a salad and then order a bag of potato chips too. They could get a side of soup, hummus or guacamole, but I have noticed that many people think that it is almost a requirement to have chips with lunch. Chips are about 30g of carbs per bag, full of genetically modified ingredients and send your blood sugar through the roof. They aren’t necessary and they can sabotage a diet. Get out of the habit.

5. Skipping Breakfast

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, but with so many other tasks competing for your attention, you may decide you don’t have time to eat. When you skip meals, your metabolism begins to slow, Breakfast gives you that boost of energy you need to take on your day. Without fuel, you’ll just overeat later. A new study of Chinese schoolchildren found that those who skipped breakfast gained significantly more weight over a two-year period than those who ate a morning meal.

The Fix: Have ready healthy breakfast foods you can consume on the run,. If you’re rushed, try easy items such as ready to eat–hard-boiled eggs, whole fruit, yogurt, low-carb protein bars, homemade cereal bars, and smoothies.

6. Emotional Eating

You had a bad day and when you get home, you open the refrigerator and eat —which sabotages a diet. Food in your mouth should not be a coping mechanism.This is a weight-loss stumbling block.

The Fix: Find a new stress-buster, If you’re stressed out at work, when you get home, take a walk (instead of eating), go to the gym, go to dance class, yoga, Pilates, Cardio Barre, Zumba, etc.– or call a friend who will be empathetic–or meet up with one. Choose any activity you like as long as it keeps you out of the kitchen.

7. Eating Too Quickly

Eating rapidly, whether you’re snacking or eating a meal, doesn’t give your brain time to catch up with your stomach. Your brain doesn’t signal that you’re full until about 15 to 20 minutes after you’ve started eating. If you gulp down your meal in 10 minutes or less, you could end up eating way more than you need.

The Fix: To slow down your eating, physically put your fork down between bites, take smaller bites, and be sure to chew each bite thoroughly. Also, drinking water throughout your meal will help you slow down and feel fuller as you go. Burgers are too easy to eat fast, but whatever you are eating, if you force yourself to sit and use a knife and fork, it will give your brain time to tell your stomach that it is full.

8. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Poor sleep ruin your weight-loss efforts. In a study, men and women who slept five hours or less a night were more likely to gain weight than those who slept seven hours or more.

The Fix: Establish a routine for yourself, and try to go to bed and wake up at about the same times every day, even on weekends. Keep the bedroom dark and comfortable, and avoid TV or computers for at least an hour before bed. If you need extra motivation to shut off the lights early, take meds, do whatever it takes. Remember that the sleep and the scale work together.

9. Vegging Out With Video Games or TV or the Computer

If you’re watching TV, sitting in front of a computer, or playing video games, it’s not only mindless snacking in front of the screen that you have to worry about. Teens who played video games for just one hour ate more the rest of the day, which resulted in weight gain.

The Fix: Take frequent breaks when you’re in front of the computer — get up and walk around the room or office every 15 to 30 minutes. When the workday or your favorite TV show ends, remember to carefully monitor what you consume to you don’t overstuff yourself.

10. Eating Junk Food

Several animal studies have found that rat’s brains find high-fat, high-sugar foods to be addictive — much like cocaine or heroin. Eating comfort food actually triggers feelings of happiness in humans.

The Fix: The solution isn’t to eliminate your favorite indulgences from your diet — that will only make you crave them more. The key to weight-loss success is to identify what you really want, and indulge in your favorite foods in moderation as special treats, not every day or find lower sugar, lower carb substitutes.

Holiday Travel or Any Travel Diet Survivial Guide

Posted on November 29, 2013 by therapysoup

When people go away on vacations or day trips, they usually just hop in the car after last-minute packing and they are not prepared nutritionally for their needs.

When you eat properly, you need protein every 3-4 hours. You need two small vegetables at lunch and two more at dinner. You need salad twice a day. Fruit twice a day.

But, without preparation, you ran out, probably without eating anything and then you are hungry and stop off for junk food.

THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SABOTAGE YOUR WEIGHT MAINTENANCE or DIET.

So, here are some easy strategies to prevent diet sabotage:

Plan and Prepare. Leave yourself plenty of time and remember that all that rushing around can beat down your immune system and make you sick.
Take your Supplements. Especially nutrients such as zinc, vitamins C and D, probiotics and omega-3’s. These help buffer your immune system and keep you strong when exposed to germs on planes, etc.
Pack an Emergency Food Kit. I never leave home without a healthy snack or mini meal to keep my blood sugar balanced.

FOOD LIST: You Can Pack and Take with You:

1. Small preprepared and measured out packs of raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews and/or pistachios
2. Small bag of cut carrots or celery with snack-sized containers of hummus
3. Can of wild salmon or sardines (I can’t do this because I hate this!)
4. Hard-boiled eggs
5. Healthy whole food protein bar (eat half in morning, half in afternoon)
6. Bottle of water
7. A prepared set of bags of berries, some bananas or apples (sliced apples is ok too)

And when you can stop somewhere, work on getting in more salad, veggies, fruits with some protein, other than fast food junk. French fries are not a vegetable!

And have fun! Your bowels will thank you later.

8 Ways to Help Yourself From Pigging Out on Thanksgiving

Posted on November 25, 2013 by therapysoup

How to avoid the temptation of sugary or carby holiday foods:

Rather than try to overly obsess about our food decisions, it’s better to change the environment so that it works for us rather than against us, making it easier to make decisions to eat less

1. Let people know in advance that you are eating differently and ask them to have (or you bring) things that you can eat like meat, veggies (not smothered in sauces and soups), fruits, cheese and salad. (If they don’t care about your diet, then you bring what you have to in order to show some self-love!)

2. Stay away from crackers, breads, candied fruit items, pies (unless you bring your own low carb pie or ice cream dessert or they provide one for you.

3. Drink, drink, drink– water and diet drinks a lot. Stay away from cider and sugary things to drink.

4. Eat some protein before you go to dinner so that you are not so hungry that you will pig out on whatever is there. (turkey, chicken, cheese, a protein bar, nuts, etc)

5. Grab the smallest plate and fill that, rather than filling a large plate with food. No refills, except for salad.

6. Eat meat and veggies, limit fruits.

7. Don’t sit close to the food buffet–avoid temptation.

8. Don’t eat the appetizers and wait for the meal. Most appetizers are calorie/carb laden.

BE STRONG and know that you are doing something that will make you happier the next day.

The last two years, for Thanksgiving, I had a salad, fresh turkey breast, gravy, veggies and a low carb ice cream and I was not only full and happy, but I didn’t gain weight the next day and it was delish. Can you say the same thing? This year to spice it up, I am going to try to make twice baked cauliflower and cheese and maybe a low carb pie, not sure yet. But one thing is for sure, I will be happy on the scale the next day and I didn’t put off my weight loss or maintenance for some lame holiday pig out excuse. You try it too!

Skinny-Rules