Preparing for the Holidays NOW

I posted this two months ago (before Halloween), but I think it's worth posting again. Preparation is key! Still working on the next scale post, probably for next week. I'm going to the Billy Joel/Elton John concert tomorrow night!



Ugh, if you've been grocery shopping lately, you know that the holiday promotions are in full swing again. Halloween candy is lurking around every corner and Christmas decorations are already up at Costco. This is the perfect opportunity to prepare for those potlucks, parties and get-togethers that always seem to sneak up on your waistline.

Planning ahead of time will save you from a lot of guilt and empty calories and keep you fitting in your favorite pair of jeans without deprivation. Having a plan will keep you from gaining any weight...you might even lose some if that is your goal. I know because I did it! It IS possible to lose weight and enjoy your favorites during the holidays.

"Ready or not, feasting season is here -- that seemingly endless time of temptation that starts with Halloween candy and continues with Thanksgiving stuffing and pies, merry-making treats, then New Year's toasts. Even beyond Jan. 1, there are Super Bowl chips and dips and Valentine's Day chocolates to contend with.

"We have four months of constant feasting," says Roger A. Clemens, DrPH, food science expert for the Institute of Food Technologists. "If we do feast, as many people do, without control, then we set ourselves up for bad patterns, ill health, and weight gain."

Statistics for how much weight Americans tend to gain during the end-of-the-year festivities vary from 1 pound to 10, but it's undoubtedly a tough time for anyone trying to eat healthfully."

Here are my top 10 tips for getting through the holidays sans the guilt and frustration of undoing all your hard work:

1. Halloween candy: In my opinion, most of it is crap and really doesn't taste that good anyway. My tip: go to a specialty store (I like See's chocolates) and buy yourself a few pieces of really good, high quality candy or chocolate and enjoy. Leave the rest alone. I don't know about you, but all the artificial stuff and chemicals in these foods leave me craving more and never satisfied. Here's a standard ingredient list for a candy bar: (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skimmed milk, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, skim milk, butter, milkfat, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, lactose, salt, egg whites and artificial flavor). For me it's better to never start eating it because once I've had the first bite it's hard to stop. However I can buy 2-3 pieces at See's and really enjoy them and be satisfied (just don't bring home the whole 2 lb box!)

2. If a party or potluck is on the calendar for Saturday, be extra careful about making healthier choices and controlling portions all week long. Doing so will help compensate for any indulgences the celebration will bring. Don't skip meals as this can lead to binge eating...just eat a little lighter during the week.

3. Ramp up your exercise a little during the holiday season. Even a small increase can make a big difference. Exercise has so many benefits, including revving up your metabolism and getting you warm, burning calories, weight loss and maintenance, increasing your feel-good hormones, increasing your self-control, and giving you a sense of accomplishment. It also regulates blood sugar, improves your body's ability to fight off disease, boosts your energy and promotes better sleep. This is a WIN-WIN situation here!

4. Don't waste your hard-earned calories on junk that's just sitting out on the table at work or home. Do you really want to eat that cookie that doesn't even taste good when you know you're going to have your grandma's to-die-for apple pie the next day? Make your calories count. If someone drops off that traditional plate of holiday cookies at your door, decide if it's worth it. If so, have one or two (unless they trigger you to eat more) and then freeze them or give them away. You have to find a plan that works for you.

Ask yourself this:

1. Am I really hungry? Do I really want this food?
2. Does eating this food get me closer or further away from my goals?
3. When I wake up tomorrow will I be happy I ate this food?

I'm a huge fan of bringing your own food to work. I have a rule that I don't eat anything I don't bring, makes it simple. If I want to include some sweets or treats, I plan them and bring them with me. Lay down some rules for yourself to follow that will keep you on the right track.

5. Usually comfort food and indulgent foods are heavy on the carbs and fat and sodium. The day of the party, I like to drink a lot of water (I usually drink 3 liters of water a day so I might try for 4 liters), eat high protein and low carb/fat during the day because I know I'll eat things higher in carbs and fat later on. Don't go to the party starving! Eat a small healthy snack and hour or two before--like baby carrots and hummus, or turkey wrapped in lettuce or an apple and 1 oz string cheese. This will take the edge off and keep you from mowing down the buffet table.

6. If possible, bring at least one healthy option for the party/potluck to share. That way you will be sure to have something you know you can eat without guilt.

7. It's about choices. You still have a calorie bank and need to spend them wisely. When you arrive at the party, take a moment and scope out the food. Pick ONE or TWO must have foods. Pretend that you have to pay $100 cash for each item (no American Express-no-limit credit cards here!)...which two foods would be worth it? Steer clear of foods that you could have anytime and pick out the specialty items that you only have during this time of year. The sweet potato pie and butter-garlic mashed potatoes, or the cheesecake and eggnog? Now take a small/moderate portion and ENJOY with no guilt. The rest of the night, choose low cal and nutritious foods like fruit and veggies, lean meats without skin or excess fat. Avoid the chips and dips and things that are easy to lose track of the amount that you eat. Stop eating before you are full and have a cut-off time to stop eating. Again, it's about having a plan before you go so that you feel in control of the situation.

8. Wear a form-fitting outfit that makes you feel slim and sexy. When you feel good about yourself you'll be less likely to stuff your face with unwanted calories and more likely to mingle and chat with other people. After all, you're probably there to see friends and family and enjoy the people more than the food. Keep a glass of water or low-cal beverage in your hand and sip through the evening. You will feel so successful and satisfied when you leave the party because you've controlled your eating, still feel great in your clothes and you even had your favorite holiday treat. :)

9. Make your holiday meals healthier in some way. Decrease the amount of butter you use to sautee veggies, substitute some apple sauce for oil in baking recipes, try reducing the amount of sugar you use. Small changes = hundreds of calories and can make the difference between maintaining and gaining a few pounds. Try serving steamed vegetables instead of casseroles or removing skin from the turkey. Choosing fruit instead of high calorie desserts can save hundreds of calories and you will feel lighter after the meal too.

10. The worst thing you can do when it comes to weight management during the holidays is to give into all-or-nothing thinking and keep making bad choices once you've made a mistake or two. Like Dr. Oz says, it's not about one night of over-indulgence, it's the cascade of behavior that follows. Never give up just because of a few slip-ups. Remember that no one is perfect and you can always make that YOU-turn!

Does Thin = Happily Ever After?

When I was overweight, I used to look at "skinny" girls through my rose-colored glasses, and dream about what their perfect life must be like. I dreamed of having boys want to date me, wearing the latest fashions, and feeling confident about my looks. It seriously never entered my mind that skinny girls had problems too. I was too wrapped up in my own issues. What could be worse than being the fat girl? To me, thin equaled happy, end of story. If I were thin, everything would magically fall into it's perfect place.

Now older and (a little) wiser, I look back and realize that everyone faces challenges and we all have body issues, no matter our weight or size. And the fact is that most people you see with great bodies work HARD at it in some way, shape or form to get it, and KEEP it.

I was prompted to write this post because I recently saw someone talk about this on a forum that I frequent. This person is still stuck in the "if only I were thin life would be perfect" thinking.

Am I happier now that I've lost 100 pounds? Yes...and No.

No because I am the same person--I have health issues, challenges at work, bills to pay, a house to clean, relationships to maintain and improve, and a son to raise. Those things don't change when you lose weight, and "life" happens regardless of your size. There's some delusion that everything will be perfect once you lose weight and that is not the case!

I think the reason that I AM happier lies in the fact that I worked hard to deal with my fears and insecurities--the mental and emotional reasons that I was obese to begin with.

I learned A LOT about myself along the journey and I have made so many positive changes in so many aspects of my life, not just weight and fitness. I think it's interesting that most people want quick weight loss, and want to skip the hard part of working through issues. That used to be me too. But if you don't work through your issues and do the internal work, it won't matter. The weight will always come back unless you are willing to peel back the layers and examine the reasons why you let yourself gain weight in the first place. Yes, it can be difficult and sometimes painful, but it will be the most rewarding thing you've ever done for yourself.

One book I highly recommend is The Beck Diet Solution by Judith Beck. This book deals with the emotional/psychological issues we all face with weight issues.

Certainly my life is different now in many ways. I love how I feel and I love being in control of my life. I am consciously in control of what I eat and how much I move my body, and my health is at the top of my priority list. I am more confident, more outgoing and take more chances in life. I don't live my life in fear anymore and I don't make excuses; I find solutions. These all help me lead a happier and more productive life for sure! And....I can wear super cute clothes!! :)

Now that I am thin, my life is not perfect by any means. I have headaches and hot flashes. I am tired most of the time because I work at night and don't get regular sleep. I have had some serious health issues this year. The loose saggy skin on my thighs has to be lifted and teased into my jeans. When I do a plank or face downward with the dog, the skin on my belly does a little jiggle...but someone looking from the outside doesn't know this. We simply cannot judge anyone from the outside when we don't know their story. I know it can be challenging, but comparing ourselves with others, whether it's about weight or looks, hair color, careers, family life or money, is a dangerous game.

What I learned was to be the best me--that's all I can do, and that's all you can do too. Take the time to do the internal work and it will happen. Be patient and kind to yourself along the way.

The Sliding Scale Part 2: Water Works

We've all been there: You're motivated to lose weight, you've been exercising most days of the week, you've stayed within your calorie (or point) range and feel like you're doing everything right. At the end of the week, you KNOW you've lost fat(weight) and can't wait to see your progress. Excitedly, you step on the scale and you close your eyes...hoping and praying--will you have lost 2 or 3 pounds this week? As you open your eyes to see the number, you see a 2 pound GAIN. Impossible. You step off the scale and repeat the process and the number is the same. WHAT?!!

The only thing more depressing than not seeing the scale go down, is seeing it unexpectedly go UP! HOW could this happen when you're doing everything right!?!? The most likely culprit: water.

In order to understand the complexities of the weight we see on the scale, we need to understand body composition, and here's a great visual. This model is about 152 pounds, 18% body fat (which is a little low for most women)and 60% water. That's right, the average (properly hydrated)person is roughly 55-65% water!


With more than half of your body being water, we're bound to have normal fluctuations in weight. Whether it's water retention from PMS, hormones,menopause, dehydration, too much salt, or a higher percentage of carbohydrates, it will show up on the scale as normal weight fluctuations and/or quick and sometimes significant gains or losses. If you've been following a healthy eating/exercise plan, whenever you see a big loss or gain in a day or two, it's most likely water weight.

Example 1: Salt:
On Friday you weighed in at 154 pounds.
Saturday through Wednesday you stuck to your 1500 calories and exercised 30 minutes each day.
Thursday you stayed in your calorie range and exercise, but had a controlled snack of chips and salsa (you weighed and measured the servings), so you're certain you will be down on the scale in the morning.
The next day (Friday) you wake up, with hope and delight. But your fingers are swollen and you can't get your wedding band off that normally slides off easily. You don't think much of it, an get on the scale. It reads 156 pounds.
You're up 2 pounds!! What happened?! You feel like giving up and giving in. What's the use if you "follow the rules" and still don't lose weight?!

Well, first off, we know that it takes 3500 calories to gain (or lose) a pound of fat. If you really tracked your calories and stayed in your range of 1500 calories, it would be impossible for you to gain 2 pounds of fat. Gaining 2 pounds of fat would mean that you ate 3500 x 2, or 7000 calories OVER your maintenance calorie needs--and that wasn't the case!

So here's what happened:

You have probably been careful about your salt intake, and consuming a large amount of salt with the chips and salsa made you retain some water weight.

Here's the skinny on salt:

Along with other electrolytes, our bodies rely on sodium and potassium to carry the electrical impulses that control our bodily functions. For our bodies to function properly, it's important that the concentration of these electrolytes remain constant.

When we drink enough water, our kidneys are able to maintain equilibrium by increasing or decreasing the amount of water we retain. In our bodies, water flows from a lower "salty" environment to a higher one in an attempt to balance the levels. After we consume large amounts of salt, it is the water moving from our bloodstream into our skin that gives us that "puffy" look and makes it hard to get our rings off and our skinny jeans zipped up. It's a good rule of thumb to drink extra water when you are consuming salty foods to help mitigate this effect.

Example 2: Carbohydrates:
Why do low-carb diets work so well for initial, quick weight loss? To cut to the chase it's more about water. Simply put, with each gram of carbohydrate eaten, the body stores an extra 2.7 grams of water! Consumption of simple (and higher glycemic) carbohydrates can also cause increased insulin secretion, which can also cause water retention. When you eat a meal higher in carbohydrates (especially high glycemic with no fiber), you will retain more water. Personally I feel good eating about 40% of my diet in carbs and I can tell when I've eaten more than 50% because I feel bloated and have swollen fingers.

By finding what works for you, maintaining an adequate carbohydrate intake and drinking plenty of water, you can definitely control this aspect of water retention.

Example 3: PMS, menopause and hormones:
If you've been reading my blog, you probably know that I went through menopause at 34--so I know hormone changes! Last week I mentioned that along with my TMJ problems, I was having some "female" issues. I didn't want to say what was going on until I spoke with my doctor. After having sudden pain and cramping, I had an ultrasound, which apparently showed I had a ruptured ovarian cyst, which in turn caused some hormonal shifts. All I know is that it's been painful and I was bloated like a blow fish! Here's my weight graph over the last two weeks (before and after hormonal changes from the ruptured cyst):
Today I'm back down to 123 pounds. What if I would have only weighed on the day I was at 129 lbs? Whether this is a weight trend for you every month due to PMS, perimenopause or menopause, understanding that these fluctuations are not associated with fat are key to not allowing the scale to be your emotional compass for the day. The scale WILL go back down! Click here to read a great article on this!

Example 4: Dehydration:
Have you ever been to the Hoover Dam in Nevada or the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington? They are amazing man-made hydropower plants--structures that harness water's energy and use simple mechanics to convert that energy into electricity. A dam holds back water, creating a large reservoir.

What does this have to do with our bodies? Well, the body creates an internal dam when it is dehydrated. Just like the Hoover Dam, our bodies build up a reservoir of water and don't want to release it. Every major system in our bodies depend on water to function properly.

Here are the major functions of water in the body

Instead of creating a dam (retaining water), we want to create a waterfall to keep the water flowing properly thorugh our bodies...think Niagara Falls. In order to accomplish this, we need to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. One way to check if you are hydrated is the color of your urine. It should be light yellow in color. If it is dark yellow and very concentrated, you're probably not well-hydrated. (Vitamins, supplements and medications can all change the color of urine so you have to be mindful of this).

The key to drinking enough water is to spread it out through the day. Don't try to drink it all at once, which can also be dangerous (in huge amounts)--and don't start off drinking a lot either. I usually drink 3 liters of water a day. If you haven't been drinking any, start with 4 cups a day and work your way up to 1-3 liters. Once your body gets used to it you will feel dehydrated without it. If you feel like you are doing everything else "right," this could be the missing link for you.


So, by staying properly hydrated and watching your salt and carbohydrate intake, you can avoid a lot of the ups and downs on the scale. In turn, this also means when quick weight fluctuations do happen, you can think back to what you did/didn't consume and not freak out. Tracking your weight during hormonal changes is also very helpful and will help you be in-tune with your body's rhythms.

Note: if you have medical issues always check with your doctor, this information is for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Next week: The Sliding Scale Part 3: Body composition: Lean Mass vs. Fat Mass