Holiday Diet & Fitness: Simplified

Image from Pinterest

Holiday season has crept up on us and it's a short one this year. I honestly don't even have my tree up yet. I've been in and out of town, busy playing dance mom during Nutcracker season, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life continues on. There are a lot of you out there that may have gained a little during this season (including myself-holiday carbs have added holiday bloat) and you may want to make excuses or put off shedding the weight. My answer: DON'T. It's so easy to give yourself a free pass, because you can hide it under winter layers, because you still have Christmas and New Year's parties to go to, etc. It's much easier to stay ahead of it all by maintaining or even (gasp!) upping the intensity of your workouts. I know your time is limited. You can workout anywhere and make yourself shake and burn. With Pinterest, YouTube, and all of the websites out there you can surely find one to work in15 minutes. My advice? Do it first thing in the morning before your day gets in the way and you have the chance to make excuses on why you don't have time. During lunch, work in a walk instead of staying inside (as a plus, you may get some vitamin D if the sun is out and that will help to fight off the flu, too!). 

As for me, I'm working in extra intense bursts of strength training all throughout my day, even if it is for just a minute or two. Little by little, a little means a lot. Every little bit gets you closer to your goals, so even if it's just a minute make it count and do some push ups, air squats, lunges, core work, etc. 

And remember, you control what is on your plate and how much you eat of it. Take less than you think you are going to eat. We all get big eyes at holiday parties, especially buffet style. Don't forget to eat an extra dense meal, high in fiber (like steamed veggies), to keep your appetite at bay before you step out. Chase each cocktail and/or plate of food with 8 oz. of water to keep things in moderation & balance. And you just may come out alive. :)

The "8" Rules

{I'll expand upon each of these in separate articles.}

Rest {hibernate}

Sleep between the hours of 10 pm and 6 pm. The hours slept before 12 are the most important. When you stay awake late, especially after 12 you will become a more efficient fat storer (increasing fat storage by 30-40%). Also, you will tend to get hungry and eat to stay awake-FOOD IS FUEL and your body  needs it stay awake (energy). The food eaten at this time will primarily work itself into fat stores. Drink water instead, if you find yourself up at late hours. This is one of the few times I will encourage you to make yourself go hungry. There is no biological reason you need to eat to stay awake, unless you are a college student or a caveman. 

*8 hours of sleep, especially before 12. 

Drink Water {hydrate} 

Keep a glass of water everywhere-in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, studio, office, purse. Every time you pass by take a few sips-or the whole glass-and refill it for the next time you pass. Start your day with a full glass of water before anything else and end with one before bed.

*8-10 glasses of water all throughout your day, not all at once, for proper hydration. 

The Rule of Half {moderate}

1. Look at your plate.
2. Eat half.
3. Rest, talk, drink.

*Repeat if hungry, up to 2 times

This will give your brain and stomach time to communicate-hunger receptors. You'll avoid overeating, since you are eating more slowly, and you'll never eat the whole plate. This accomplishes mindfulness, pacing, and portion control all at once-3 key factors in eating. I don't care if the last bite left on your plate is literally 1 bite, or large crumbs. Train yourself NOT to be a member of the clean plate club. 

*1/8 left on your plate.

Print this out and post on your fridge. Keep a copy on you in your purse or at your office. Retrain your brain how you should eat, sleep, and drink (or hibern8, hydr8, and moder8).  

Summer Tomato Salad

This is a super easy dish you can make ahead or in a pinch. I love keeping plenty of tomatoes and basil on hand during the summer. A winter tomato just doesn't pass muster-disappointing at best. Make sure to keep parmesan, romano, and asiago on hand also-I like to buy a block and grate it fresh myself. This way I know what it contains (no sawdust!), and it tastes infinitely better. This can serve as a salad before dinner, a side for any dish, or as a great snack. I love fresh, summer tomatoes. Their ripe flesh is so deep red in color and the smell and taste are intoxicating. Add a little basil, italian cheeses, and high quality sea salt and you have the perfect little dish! This tastes great with a little buttery chardonnay. I love Cuvaison Chardonnay. And yes, I drink wine. 1-2 moderate size glasses a day. 

• 1 large ripe tomato
• 1-2 oz shaved parmesan, grated romano & asiago (prep a lot ahead of time, that way it's always ready!)
• 1-2 fresh basil leaves
• A pinch of high quality sea salt
• Optional: Crushed red pepper for a kick

1. Cut up the tomato and arrange on plate
2. Sprinkle cheese, basil, salt, and pepper on top
3. Enjoy!

Falling off the {food} wagon...

Sorry for my absence. To say that life has been challenging lately is an understatement. And to say that my diet is less than ideal is an even bigger understatement. C'est la vie. Life is life, right?

The one advantage is that once I've eaten the "bad" food, it's done. I still won't buy "junk" to keep in my house. I force myself to have to go out and get it, every single time. It is an inconvenience to eat badly, so most of the time it passes and I move on. 

I stopped by a Sonic today and got an order of tater tots. And ate them all by myself. I'm not sorry. But I did confess to a friend, "Forgive me, Veronica, for I have sinned. I partook of the forbidden food.". I felt I needed to tell someone to keep myself accountable. She laughed, of course, but I know she will steer me in the right direction tomorrow when we are at the Farmer's Market (kind of hard to eat badly at a Farmer's Market. Of course, there are those homemade doughnuts the size of one's head and the pulled pork and the bread and the "flavored" popcorn.). You should always have someone you can talk to about your food struggles and who can guide you back to the light (no pun intended). Because we all struggle sometimes-we're human. And if you restrict too heavily (I don't encourage it), the fall is much more pronounced. 

So going back to the tater tots. I know I eat well. I know I take good care of myself. So one time is not anything to beat myself up about. It is rather fodder for a good laugh-I'm so stressed that.... I will not be doing it again anytime in the near future (I am most decidedly not an all-or-nothing type of person-I think it is unsustainable.). I'm only sharing it now because I want you to give yourself the permission to fall off of the food wagon, and get right back on. It doesn't have to be a slippery slope where you slide all the way down. It can be one time and be done with it. And by the way, if you are going to cheat, cheat well. My tater tots may not seem significant to you but they are epic to me. At least until the stomach ache hits (because it is not something that jives with my detoxed body anymore and then I really don't want to eat it again. Not. Worth. It.). So don't go for a Snickers, go for a deluxe artisinal chocolate like Vosges. Make it a really enjoyable experience so you can really soak up the deliciousness, eat slowly and enjoy the whole experience, and move on. And be done. 

And get back on the wagon. Wheeeee!!

Photo via Food Navigator