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An Eating Strategy Plan for Holiday Parties



A couple of things to remember, you're not alone, plain and simple.



1.If you’re going to a party at night, be sure to eatSaving up all your calories to eat at the event is not a good idea! You will be starving, and will binge eat everything in sight.
Before you go, be sure to have a healthy snack. Choose an apple with some nut butter, a piece of cheese on an apple slice or a hard boiled egg.

2. This is the time you really do not want to listen to your mother, it's not a good idea to clean your plate. At the party, opt for an appetizer or cake plate versus a large dinner plate. The bigger the plate more likely you’ll fill it up!



3. Picking is a NO NO! Tasting, this and that can add up to over 1000 plus calories. Once you make your plate that’s it. No Picking! Sometimes we need to just have something in our hand so opt for a pretty glass (martini) fill it with water add cranberries, sprig of rosemary



4. If you’re holiday party is at a restaurant, corner off half of your meal and take it home! One thing to keep in mind is that it doesn't take a lot to put the pounds on, but it takes a lot of hard work and even more time to take it OFF. It's okay if you get off track, just get back on, no biggie!



Most of all have a fun, fabulous time. Make lots of memories

Happiness

Michelle G xxo

If you’re alive, then chances are you've craved. Late night cravings are the biggest saboteur I see among my clients. At the end of the day, we are tired, run-down, and want that sinfully cold and creamy or obnoxiously loud and crunchy treat. Mid-afternoon snack attacks are also a red-hot danger zone for many of my clients who end up hitting the vending machine at work to make it through the rest of the afternoon and an impossible to-do list. Others suffer from "weekenditis" where they eat to reward themselves for the hard week they just toiled through. Sound familiar?

The child that still lives within each of us, whining and begging, and it’s often just easier to cave in and indulge in that second glass of wine, ice cream, or several handfuls of tortilla chips. “I have no willpower,” my clients lament. But I disagree. Cravings reside at the three-way intersection between biology, desire and insanity and they surface not because we lack willpower, but because we haven’t planned well in advance or because there are very real needs that are not being met. To truly deconstruct your cravings, I urge you to take a mind-body-spirit approach: educate yourself on the causes of your cravings, address any physiological issues (low blood sugar, cortisol dysregulation, lack of sleep, food intolerances), and look at the emotional root of your trigger foods.

The biggest source of food cravings I see are improper food choices earlier in the day and a buildup of stress that leads to succumbing to temptations in the evening. For starters, evaluate the following areas to nip your cravings in the bud:

Look at your diet: Are you eating regularly or are you going more than 3 hours between meals or snacks? Having low blood sugar earlier in the day can set you up to compensate by rummaging in the pantry after dinner. Also consider the possibility the foods you are choosing – whether or not they are healthy – they may not be the right foods for you.
Look for patterns of stressors and rewards. Often we deprive and deny ourselves during the day – both with food choices AND with saying ‘yes’ to too many people or by taking on too much. If you give and give and give all day, you are going to want to receive at the end to restore yourself. After all, life is all about that reciprocal dance of giving and receiving, right? Often the cycle is to emotionally shut down in front of the TV or internet and reward oneself with wine or sweets. Where can you adjust your choices during the day so you are not so depleted at the end of it? What can you do (or not do) to increase your joy?
If there really WAS a little boy or girl living inside of you, what would s/he need? Is there an alternative to what you are choosing that is healthier and just as satisfying, or even more so? Watch your inner dialogue as well. Always aim to have the same dialogue with yourself that you would want to hear from your best friend.
I’m not one to white-knuckle my way through a massive craving, and I don’t believe you should either. That’s no way to live life. And in my practice, I often work with my clients to deconstruct what their cravings really mean and while that can be a complex process, here’s a breakdown of three of the most popular cravings:

1. SUGAR CRAVINGS
Cravings for sweets could be the result of low blood sugar or cortisol (stress hormone) dysregulation as there's a close relationship between the two. Sugar is the quintessential "yin" food, i.e. expansive food that makes us feel lighter, so after a really stressful day, we turn to a sweet cocktail or chocolate to diffuse the stress and anxiety that has been building up.

But too much yin, sparks cravings for heavier, contractive "yang" foods such as salt, meat and cheese. That is why you wake up the next morning with a hankering for eggs or steak. Do you see how we create this vicious cycle where we ricochet uncontrollably from sweet processed foods to animal food?

Solution: Instead of going for refined/processed sweets, experiment with sweet veggies, such as yams, carrots, beets, corn and onions. Roast some slices or chunks of sweet potatoes rubbed with coconut oil, Himalayan pink crystal salt and cinnamon for a yummy sweet treat sans any refined sugar that will naturally quell your sugar cravings. I often instruct my clients to keep a small jar of organic coconut oil at their desks and to just take a teaspoon or tablespoon straight up before they feel that 3 pm crash coming on as it will provide instant energy. Coconut oil is nature's richest source of healthy medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which your body sends directly to your liver to use as energy. Numerous studies have shown that MCFAs promote weight loss and helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Sometimes we crave sweets when we're lacking sweetness in our lives. At the end of a long day, we're often just looking for a hug or someone to hear us out, but instead we seek to anesthetize those emotions with food. So, instead of trying to find comfort at the bottom of Ben and Jerrys Cherry Garcia, can you perhaps talk to a sweet friend, smell a sweet flower or relax with the sweet aroma of an essential oil? What can you do to nourish your life and add sweetness from non-food sources?

2. SALT CRAVINGS
Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in our mineral-depleted soil can result in a mineral deficiency that sparks cravings for salty foods. Sometimes people who take a lot of medications or supplements can crave salt to balance out what they are already taking in. Cravings for crunchy foods might stem from the desire to crunch out and not hear something (such as your gossipy co-workers or an irate boss). No wonder so many office vending machines have crunchy salty snack foods.

Solution: Satiate your craving for salt by loading up on sea vegetables like kelp, nori, arame, hijike, and wakame. Simply sprinkle some dulse flakes on your salad or an avocado, and contrary to what you may think it doesn't taste seaweed-y at all; in fact, you won't even notice it. You can also add seaweed to your soups and stews or sprinkle it on popcorn (in place of table salt) for a rich salty and mineral flavor. Or try some cultured veggies on top of blue corn chips which offers that crunch in a really nutritious way. You can find cultured veggies already made from Rejuvenative Foods, Farmhouse Kulture or Bubbies at Whole Foods, Sprouts or your local health food store.

3. ALCOHOL CRAVINGS
Alcoholic beverages can help the body digest heavy fatty foods, hence the classic pairing of wine with cheese. But often we crave alcohol, just as we do sugar, to make us feel lighter and less stressed out.

Solution: Try Kombucha, which is a fermented tea drink make with only 0.5% alcohol. Kombucha is packed with B-vitamins and immune boosting probiotics. My favorite is (Pink Lady Apple) Also, other fermented foods like sauerkraut, and kimchi can combat cravings for alcohol and help digestion without the hangover. Probiotics not only stop cravings for alcohol and sugar, thereby helping you lose weight but they also serve as anti-depressants by secreting feel-good neurochemicals that make us happy. And a big beauty bonus is that they help with any type of inflammatory skin condition, such as acne, eczema psoriasis,and make the skin poreless

One of my favorite Lunch-Snacks is Avocado stuffed Kimchi.



BOTTOM LINE
Most cravings stem from emotional eating, so remember to differentiate between physical versus emotional hunger and be aware of our culture's obsession with sugar, reward and holidays.

Oprah offers one of the best definitions of forgiveness I've ever come across: “Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could’ve been any different.” You can release your past hurt, anger and resentment without condoning what happened and this act of letting go will release you from your habitual pattern of emotional eating and binging. Try it...it's a game changer!

Happiness

Michelle G xxo

Ok let's talk about the smells. I swear every store I walked into on Saturday even the cosmetics department in Bloomingdale's smelled like pumpkin spice.


Here are 4 reasons it's so hard to lose weight in the fall and what your going to do about it!


1. It's all about marketing. All summer long all we see are swimsuits ads, fresh produce ads, even beach vacations ads. We are motivated to stay on track. It's easy to choose the unsweetened green iced-teas and grab that light and tantalizing summer salads for lunch.

Then comes the FALL. Out come the sweaters, cozy wozy sock, friends Instagram posts change from bikinis on the beach to laying in front of a gorgeous fire.

Fall advertising is all about comfort foods, those pumpkin spice lattes and don't forget apple pie ‘tis the season.


You don't have to fall for fall marketing. By using my This or That method, (I’ll introduce you soon!) you’ll realize that you are stronger and wiser than they are and I will help you know what works for you.

Breakfast: Craving an apple cider doughnut? Opt for yogurt with some diced apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon. More of a pumpkin spice lover? Add some pumpkin pie spice to your oatmeal and skip the pumpkin flavored muffin!


2. The Holidays never seem to stop. Doesn't it feel like you just bought Halloween Candy and now you're cutting your Thanksgiving bird? Do you feel like you're still eating Thanksgiving leftovers at Christmas?


It's hard to lose weight in the fall when you're surrounded by holiday foods and parties. PLAN FOR THIS.

There are way to help you plan.

• Halloween- allow yourself 4 pieces of candy…(no big bars)

• Thanksgiving no leftovers only cranberry sauce (my recipe)http://healthynourishinglifestyle.liveeditaurora.com/apps/recipe/details/id/Cranberry-Relish-5

• Make a plan and tell someone. A verbal agreement will help you stick to it!

3. Sweaters and Coats do a great job of hiding things.

Maybe you’re thinking that nobody can tell that you put on a few pounds, because you’re layering. On one hand it’s trendy and you may be so in love, that you’re not able to take off that new coat. Maybe they can't see it but YOU can. The extra pounds can make you feel lousy, blah and it plays with your head.

Keep yourself on point by not hiding. Maybe you have a swimsuit, a pair of shorts that you usually put away in the fall. Keep it out, something you feel great in, in a place where you can see it all year long. Try it on time to time it helps you from not hiding yourself. Take it from me it works!

4. Pumpkin and pie, oh my! I say this all the time, you don't have to deprive yourself. Focus on what you CAN and have the will find great satisfaction. So, drizzle a little real maple syrup on your ricotta with some chopped walnuts. Have some organic pumpkin straight out of the can, sprinkle some cinnamon, ginger and a little honey. Even cocoa can be made in a healthy way if you indulge mindfully!


“Remember to be eat mindful this Thanksgiving”

Want some great recipes for Thanksgiving go to my website.






It is gratitude that make Thanksgiving a holiday!

Happiness

Michelle G xxo