Helpful Hints for the "Season of Eating"

Happy Thanksgiving!  And welcome to the "Season of Eating!"

I have included a link to a practical and helpful website: http://www.active.com/.  There are great tips for being aware of what and how much you eat.  The site also has wonderful articles on exercise, training, starting out, stretching, nutrition, etc. 

Active.com: 10 Tips to Control Your Weight This Holiday Season

What I've always told my clients that I hope helped during the holidays (try one or two out and see if they help):

* Use a smaller plate to eat from and pretend you don't want your food to touch (you take less).
* Eat a salad or have some broth-based soup prior to the main course to create more fullness to avoid overeating. If there is no salad/soup, drink sips of water between every 2-3 bites, putting your fork down each time.
* Allow yourself a taste of everything--but instead of heaping portions served with a huge serving spoon, use a tablespoon to serve and only take two tablespoons of the sides. 
* Take small forkfuls and chew slowly--truly savor the flavors.
* Make sure you eat breakfast and lunch so that you can help stave off the urge to binge.
* Enjoy dessert but see if you can split it with someone.
* If you are imbibing, try to drink water between each alcoholic beverage or create mixed drinks such as seltzer and wine to create a spritzer while cutting calories and increasing hydration.
* Offer to help set up and/or clean up--moving will help to burn some calories while helping the host

Taking a holiday morning walk will help focus your awareness for the day--include family and friends on the walk if possible.  Being active the day after Thanksgiving also helps burn off what we took in the prior day/night.  Shopping burns calories, but remember to pack a snack like an apple, baggie of pretzels, granola, for example, in order to keep your blood sugar even and keep the temptations for high fat and high sugar treats at the food courts and checkout lines at bay.

Be self-aware, savor the flavor and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

My Own "Eat, Pray, Love" Experiences

Alright...for the sake of honesty and credibility, I should admit that I have not finished reading the published book.  (I actually made it through the first few pages before I realized that treadmill workouts do not mix with reading.)  That being said, however, the title seems to fit so many of my experiences in life, including the most recent.  Let me explain...

Earlier this summer, I decided to let all of my "be good" rules sit on the sidelines and ate what I wanted (when I wanted), had more drinks than I normally would have, didn't do much exercise, and just had fun without letting myself think about the consequences.  And it was fun while it lasted...and surprisingly cathartic.  It made me realize how much pressure I had put on myself for years to stay in shape for my job in the fitness center or whatever it was I was doing rather than focusing on my health--like I told all of my clients to do.  It felt nice to be free of the constraints I had placed on myself.  


Now comes the "Eat, Pray, Love" reference. I started to feel sluggish, a bit uncomfortable in my own skin, my asthma had gotten a little worse and I stopped fitting into the new clothes I had purchased for my new sales job.  It was when I couldn't fit into the pants I had just bought earlier in the summer that made me decide to end the "break" I allowed myself.  I ended up gaining just under twenty-five pounds in a short period of time. (insert gasps here) 


I bought a used treadmill (barely used-so it was pretty new at a used cost) and started tracking my food intake, focusing on portion control and really listening to my body to tell me when I was truly hungry and when I was full. Although I always knew what it was like for my personal training clients to start new lifestyle changes, this time felt different for me.  


The "Eat" in the title of the popular book has come full circle for me.  I was eating practically  everything and now I eat for health and what's best for my mind and body.  I leave room for some treats every now and again, but an interesting observation is that I no longer crave those treats like I used to.  The mid-afternoon candy crave has all but disappeared and the almost daily potato/carb longing is non-existent.  I always hear about various diets, fads, pills, etc and have heard about professionals trying them out in order to report first-hand what the diets do to their bodies.  What did I do?  I just started eating what made me feel good after I ate it.  I am loosely following the Eat Right for Your Type diet which recommends that you eat certain foods for your blood type and avoid others.  So far, I'm feeling very happy with how my body is responding. I am no longer feeling heavy or tired after a meal and any occasional indigestion I would have is no longer occurring.  


"Pray" could mean so many different things to so many different people.  For me, during the summer, I didn't listen to what my body was saying at all. And now, I am paying attention, adding in relaxation exercises for myself to manage my stress levels and respecting what my mind and body is telling me.  For me, "praying" is a form of meditation rather than just a religious action. It might be vastly different for others or even for me at another period in my life, but for now it's a wonderful window into myself. 


"Love" is also an umbrella word that can cover many definitions.  During this experience, I've learned to love myself-which had always been elusive in the past.  I found love within...and appreciation, respect and sense of self I don't recall having (at least in my recent past).  Instead of letting the world, society, my clothes, my weight, my job, etc. define me, I am finally beginning to define myself for myself.  And it is something I wouldn't have expected to find out of this strange journey.  None of this was planned or even considered--I just made a decision to let everything go and here I am...finding myself in a new place and being excited about it.  


I'm sure I will eventually read another person's journey around the world, but it's fascinating to have my own personal experience without leaving too far from home.  


I am puzzled by my own audacity to publish this for all to see (I am typically very private), but I thought that this was too profound to not share it.  It's possible that because the Internet is so vast, it's easy to share when you can imagine sending words out into that infinite world and not having anyone read them.  


And for those who are curious about my weight...I have lost 14 pounds of the almost 25 I gained, but am able to run more than I have in years. So although I might have weight to lose, I feel healthier than I have in many years.


Wishing you luck in your own personal journeys and discoveries...