Healthy Eating and the Holidays????

Okay, so I know Christmas is only a few days away, but we can still talk about healthy eating. I know that I've been bombarded with more sweets lately. And I had a great goal - to only eat the sweets on the days I worked out, but I didn't quite stick to it like I thought I would.

But I have been trying to eat healthy. So here are a few ideas that have helped me. When you don't have a Christmas party, you can implement this diet.

One thing to remember - we should eat every 3 hours or so. This keeps your body from starving and storing fat.


Here's my plan:

Breakfast - protein and some complex carbs

Snack - nuts or fruit or healthy food (protein) bar

Lunch - protein and vegetables and carbs

Snack - nuts or fruit or protein shake

Dinner - protein and vegetables

Snack - protein


Here's what I usually eat when I'm working my diet plan:

Breakfast - 2 eggs, whole grain oatmeal, 1/2 c. hot chocolate (this is my one treat - I only drink 1/2 c. to reduce the calories)

Snack - about 1/4 c. almonds or protein bar (like a Cliff bar)

Lunch - chicken or turkey sandwich, vegetables or spinach salad

Snack - an apple or some almonds

Dinner - chicken, fish, or other lean meat, vegetables, and/or salad

Snack - protein shake or some nuts


This diet has worked very well for me. I can't eat dairy, so I make sure I take vitamins and calcium supplements. I also try to really vary my food choices. For vegetables, I try to get as many colors as I can. I love making a really good salad with as many vegetables as I can find that would taste good in it. When you're really trying to lose weight, the spray dressing is the way to go. Very minimal calories. And you can add fruit to your salads, too.

When you're eating every 3 hours or so, you stay full, so you don't feel the need to munch all day long. Waiting longer than that in between meals will only make you more hungry and more likely to binge eat.

I don't worry about my fat intake, but I am very careful about using healthy fats. I use olive oil when I can. For example, if you're really craving a baked potato, instead of butter, use olive oil and some Italian seasoning. It's a really tasty treat!

Don't Forget To Track Your Intake

One thing that really helps you stick to your diet is tracking what you eat and your calorie intake. I use sparkpeople.com. You can track your food and exercise, and find all kinds of ideas and support. It also helps you know what adjustments you should make to optimize your weight control.

I'll post more about diet after Christmas. I think most of us are going to be trying to take off those few pounds we gained. Until then, try to eat as healthy as you can. If you're eating a lot of healthy food, you'll fill up on that before the junk. Not to mention, you'll feel better, too.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!!!