5-Step Eating Plan for Loving the Holidays

We are entering one of the seasons characteristically rich with gatherings, celebrations, gift giving and receiving, seeing old and new friends, good cheer, deadlines and stress.  That’s a great deal for any of us to handle, much less handle well.

Hopefully, a few fairly simple tips will ease the way for your greater enjoyment of this holiday season. It is certainly my intent to do away with the added pounds as well as the torture and guilt that frequently accompany unanticipated holiday eating.

Try following these tips and you’ll love the holidays even more than expected:

1. Take a few minutes to plan with your calendar of the scheduled holiday events in hand.  Mark those days with a star, where you anticipate higher than usual calorie eating. (We’ll call these Holly-days.)  Star your calendar. After every Holly-day, have 3 high protein, good nutrition days.

2. No matter how busy these days may get, make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep daily. Four days of sleep deprivation will increase sugar cravings.

3. Walk at least 10 minutes a day, preferably in the mornings. Walk perhaps a few more minutes on the mornings you are anticipating the possibility of binge eating.

4. Throughout the holidays, focus on eating high-protein foods, not carbohydrates.

5. Post two full days of healthy and satisfying meals (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinner meals) in a prominent spot in your kitchen or on the refrigerator. Purchase the necessary ingredients so they are at your fingertips.

When life alters your plan, and it will, pick yourself up and move on, still loving the holidays. “Start overs” are allowed.