More Holiday Help
Happy Holiday weekend to you all! For the few that may still be getting on the blog sites, I would like to share a follow up to my post yesterday on surviving the holiday food crisis! Amanda over at Sensei Talks had a good post yesterday on Smart Ways to Cheat. She had 5 tips shown below but read her full post & her other posts at the previous link:
Control Your Portions. When you decide to cheat, don’t overdo it. Pick the food or meal you want to cheat with and then make sure your portions are reasonable. Cheating at one meal or snack won’t derail your diet, but a day filled with large portions of high calorie, high fat foods will definitely take you off track.
Eat the Real Thing. If you crave ice cream, then eat ice cream. Too many times people tell me how they were craving something like ice cream, but ate a low fat frozen yogurt instead, and ended up eating the whole container because they were never really satisfied. Try taking a small portion of what you’re really craving and that should satisfy your urge to cheat more than a low fat, sugar free or low calorie version. Leave the low fat, low calories foods for your every day diet.
Add Some Water. When you decide to cheat with a certain food, try sipping water in between bites. Sipping water will slow down your eating which will allow you to enjoy the food and will help you fill up faster.
Mix It Up. When you cheat, try to mix up your meal or snack. Add some protein and carbohydrates at your cheat meal. Try not to over indulge on just carbohydrates. This will lead to a rapid rise in your blood sugar followed by a fall in your blood sugar which can lead to the urge to binge or overeat. Remember, small portions are important. Some balanced cheat foods include: tortilla chips with cheese and shredded chicken or ice cream sprinkled with nuts.
Balance It Out. If you usually splurge on Sunday morning with pancakes, bacon and a mimosa, make plans to walk it off later in the day. Go for a long walk a few hours after your meal. It’s important that you keep up your exercise on the day you cheat. You can even increase your cardiovascular exercise a little on the day that you decide to cheat to help burn off some of those extra calories.
I really like Amanda's tips! Portion control is key for sure! Me, I always bring my own food... just me. I know, crazy but I always want to be prepared.... unless I know they are having chicken that is not dredged in all kinds of stuff that will upset my stomach. I bring my own treat too... I plan for that... because if I am going to treat myself, I want it to be something I WANT rather than whatever is just sitting there. Also, if there is something I just can't "not try", I take one bite & be done with it. YES, I can do that because I know I would rather have my treat. Again, this is just me & I have been at this for a long time!
I also wanted to pass on some FISH TIPS from Dr. Weil:
Best Fish to Eat per Dr. Weil: My advice for the healthiest fish is to choose species rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The best sources are wild-caught Alaskan salmon, canned sockeye salmon, sardines, herring, and black cod. I recommend 2-6 servings per week of fish that are high in omega-3s as part of my anti-inflammatory diet.
Fish to Avoid per Dr. Weil: Large predatory fish. Shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and white (albacore) tuna may have high levels of mercury. Omega-6 rich fish. Farm-raised tilapia is one of the most highly consumed fish in America, yet it has very low levels of beneficial omega-3s and very high levels of potentially detrimental omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory, and inflammation is known to cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, lung and joint tissues, skin, and the digestive tract. Farmed salmon. Avoid farmed salmon (also called Atlantic salmon), which is what you typically find in supermarkets, restaurants and fish markets. While less expensive than wild salmon, farmed salmon is lower in omega-3s and may contain residues of antibiotics and other drugs used to treat diseases in fish farming pens. What's more, levels of PCBs and other contaminants in some farmed salmon have been found to be much higher than those found in wild salmon.
HAVE A SAFE & WONDERFUL HOLIDAY WEEKEND!
I liked this tip:
"It’s important that you keep up your exercise on the day you cheat. You can even increase your cardiovascular exercise a little on the day that you decide to cheat to help burn off some of those extra calories."
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I am so with you on that! I keep up my exercise routine thru the holiday weekend both cardio & weights! If I feel the need, I do increase the intensity a bit. I usually plan for these things!
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Good fish tips! I have never heard of black cod nor seen it at the grocery store, but not that suprising around here!!
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Thanks for mentioning us Jody!
This info on the fish to avoid is very resourceful. I know I eat a few of them on that list...eeek! I must start to look for the recommended ones..
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i think the only thing i went a little overboard with was the taco dip WE brought to the family picnic! lmao
other than that, i rarely like anything his family makes or brings to gatherings.. so portion control is usually never a problem..haha
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