Uuugghh!

Okay, so I can't stand to look at that picture every time I pull up my blog so I am adding this post in hopes of pushing the last post down out of site unless I scroll down.

You don't have to gain weight over the holiday's!

Okay, so this picture is a little far fetched. Especially for my fellow bloggers. But this is why we workout and watch what we eat, right?

Of course the holiday's are filled with sugar-laden, fat-filled, carbo-loaded, yummy treats but that doesn't mean you have to gain weight this year. For any of you that really know me you know that I don't gain weight during the holiday's. I actually lose weight. I figure I could make a million bucks if I were to write a book and tell my secrets, but unfortunately I don't have any secrets. Good bye $100,000,000.00. What I do have are some fairly common sense habits that help me to lose a couple pounds between Halloween and New Years.

1. Exercise--Yep, just good 'ol exercise that you do every other day during the year. The difference is that even though I am super busy I DO NOT skip my workouts. They are really the only thing that keep me sane and grounded during this sometimes chaotic season. Six days a week you will see me doing any one of these workouts: circuit, weight training, running, walking, sledding, Tae Bo, boot camp, shoveling the driveway, and/or spinning.

2. Eat what I want--I know this sounds counterproductive but hear me out. I love everything about this season. Especially the food. What I love about it is that there is a party or get together every three days. So, I can eat a little bit of what I want and then stop because I know that in a couple days there will be another yummy treat for me to try. On the day's that I don't have a special occasion planned I can eat really well (usually because I am stuffed from the party the night before). I eat the same thing day after day:

-Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal and coffee for breakfast

-Skippy Natural peanut butter and sugar free jelly on whole wheat and soy milk for lunch

-Fiber One bar or Kashi cereal and a piece of fruit for a snack

-lean meat (chicken, turkey, or fish), a vegetable (about half the plate full), and either brown rice, whole wheat roll, or wheat pasta for dinner.

I don't deprive myself this time of year and because I am treating myself I am more likely to eat for pleasure and not boredom, anger, or stress.

3. Stay busy--I am the sole food and present shopper, present wrapper, house cleaner, cook, and activity planner (for the kids). This keeps me pretty busy every day through the holiday's so there is not much time to sit around and get lazy. There is also not a lot of time to eat so it's easier to stick to the 'diet plan'. If I find a moment to myself I like to sit by the Christmas Tree and soak in the holiday spirit. I also like to do stuff with the kids...playing in the snow, playing games, going ice skating or sledding, and such. These are fun things (except the cleaning) which makes me happy, which makes me emotionally satisfied. Not to mention all the extra calories burned on top of the rest.

So as you can see there is no secret. Just a mind set that I WILL not gain weight this time of year and an awareness that I am in control of me. I can sit around and eat everything in site and skip workouts, or I can turn this time of year into an opportunity to to be at peace with my body.

Have a HEALTHY Happy Holiday this year. May all your activities be heart pumping and your food choices decadent. And forget about the typical New Year resolution...you won't need it!

The Amazing 2 Hour Winter Workout

Okay, here is how it goes. First spend 30 minutes warming up (finding and putting on all winter gear). Second, head outside in fresh snow with children in tow. Third, spend up to 30 minutes on muscle work (packing, rolling, stacking, lifting and shaping snow). Fourth, decorate with rocks, sticks, scarf, hat, and carrot then take picture. And last but not least take another 30 minutes on cardio (throw snowballs, roll in the snow, jump over the snowman, dodge snowballs, save daughter from flying snow, run away from your son that makes the flying snow, and make snow angels. Then 30 minute cool down (remove all snow gear, hang it up to dry, and change into warm clothes) and crash on the living room floor.

Calories burned: 45,631*

*based on a mother's perception

A new tradition in the making

New Tradition Recipe

Ingredients:
2 small, cute children
1 sugar-starved husband on a diet
1 can Stephen's Hot Chocolate
4 candy canes
1 can fat-free Reddi Whip
1 bottle chocolate sprinkles
1/2 bag Hershey's Hot Cocoa Kisses
4 handfuls mini marshmallows
unlimited possibilities

Take small children and husband and let them loose with heated cocoa and rest of ingredients. Watch them spoon, stir, spray, sprinkle, stir, spill, sip, scarf, smile then repeat.

Mix together for 1 hour. Take away the sugar. Send kids to rooms for acting too crazy.

************

Equals 1 new Christmas tradition for the family.

Serves: 4