Touché Bouley

Last Thursday May 9th changed my life as I have once again had an experience that will forever transform the way I think about food and nutrition.

David Bouley, world-renowned celebrity chef and philanthropist (http://www.davidbouley.com/) and Alice Bast, founder, The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (http://www.celiaccentral.org/Celiac-Disease/21/), joined forces in support of the 3 million people in the United States who live with celiac disease. The sharing experience and fundraiser was held in Bouley’s own test kitchen in downtown Manhattan and my husband Keith Berkowitz, http://centerforbalancedhealth.com/, presented unconventional medical theories and celiac treatments.

The evening was all about celiac awareness and magnificent gluten-free food. Before even tasting a morsel of Bouley’s edible art, a stage  of complete bliss was set. The warm gathering of friends and the feelings of satisfaction were already filling my body.  My life changing moment begins here and includes 5 more elements that anyone can utilize to better their health and obtain personal weight goals.

1. Meeting Super Chef Bouley: From farm to table his dedication and passion for his trade and connection with anti-aging experts and physicians has brought his culinary art to a new level. He uses his food creations to harness the power of food and stimulate energy, avoid the consequence of food malabsorption (as is the case for celiac) or lower blood sugar.

And his…

2. Use of fresh, local and health promoting foods that support the local business economy along with optimizing taste and nutrients served directly to your body. He consciously chooses to use ingredients in his food like kuzu, a Japanese medicinal plant. He does not use white table sugar in his recipes. You can make the same types of choices too.

3. Creating harmony with the ingredients of the food; I’m not sure how many of us can replicate this precise ability to balance flavor like Bouley but as best as possible try to use flavors that compliment the food you eat (not too much or too little flavor).

4. Timing between courses served; there were multiple mini meals served but if you do not have time to sit down to a 4 hour meal how about using your typical meal and dividing it into smaller portions. Take a few bites, enough to ward off hunger for 30-40 minutes, put it away and repeat. It may be interesting to see if you eat less with this system in place?

5. Use of a variety of foods within the meal; each course was composed of different textures, flavors, colors, temperatures every sense in my body was active during my eating experience. I’m thinking maybe stimulating the senses like this adds to the feeling of satiety and meal satisfaction. How many senses do you use when “inhaling” your food?

You can better visualize what I mean by watching this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmS2xvNI-N4 and this http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50133945n.

Zagat’s polled seven thousand people and asked “Where would you eat the last meal of your life?”  ”Bouley” was the “overwhelming” choice.  I’m sure the response would be the same if the question asked was, Where would you eat a meal filled with love, commitment and health?

Thank you David Bouley,  for participating in this celiac awareness event and the unforgettable meal but even more for giving me these tools that I will use for my clients every day. Keep serving up “Haute” health food in your own iconic way. Health professionals need as much help as we can get!

Related articles

• Worst Gluten-Free Mistakes (foxnews.com)

 

3 Secrets to Shape Up And Strip Down For The Summer (Supplements 2)

This time it’s green tea. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Less than 100 days or about 3 months until summer and I have a few more weight loss supplements to bring you closer to the home stretch and closer to summer strip down shape.  If you missed the first few, check last weeks blog, http://valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/3-secrets-to-shape-up-and-strip-down-for-the-summer-supplements-1/.

 

It is important to work with a trained medical professional. Supplements interact can interact with each other, with medications or recreational drugs, or medical conditions. Before you add supplements as part of a nutrition package, check with your doctor to ensure these work with and not against you. Taking excessive doses of these supplements will not get you better or faster results and can cause negative side effects.

 

More fat burning supplements:

 

5. Glutamine can help obliterate cravings. It is an amino acid so take it on an empty stomach or before a work out. Try 2-3 grams after your exercise routine to help boost fat loss or before cravings take over.

 

6. Capsaicin is the ingredient in chilli peppers that makes them hot and fuels fat loss. If you can tolerate them add some to your meals, studies have shown these peppers also increase energy expenditure.

 

7. Calcium/Vit. D (these two micronutrients are linked because so many people are vitamin D deficient and vitamin D helps calcium absorption). Alisa Bowman wrote a comprehensive article in Men’s Health, http://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/burn-fat-fast, on the various roles vitamin D plays in weight loss. So, read it, you will enjoy. Use 5000 IU, if you are deficient you may need more to bring up the level and then reduce the dose.

 

Check vitamin D levels and check safety data for vitamin D, if you take too much you may actually deplete calcium and increase risk of heart disease, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind/DSECTION=safety.

 

Interesting news for calcium, it has recently been shown to lower body weight by converting a portion of dietary energy to heat rather than stored body fat. Ensure you get 1000-1200 mg/day.

 

Rosenbaum et al., found that in combination calcium and vit.D supplementation reduced belly fat, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22170363.

 

8. Green tea not only helps reduce body fat but it can reduce cardiovascular risk at the same time, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501173/, volunteers who used approximately 400 mg of green tea extract for 3 months” decreased body mass index, waist circumference, and levels of total cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, and triglycerides.”

 

Caution in drinking too much tea or high doses of supplements as it may reduce iron absorption and raise caffeine intake for those who are sensitive.

 

Drinking 3-4 cups of unprocessed green tea each day is ideal.

 

Thyroid need a boost? Then add selenium and zinc to assist in maximizing hormones that will boost your metabolism. Boosting metabolic rate will increase fat burning too.

 

9. Selenium in the amount of 200-400 mcg works to convert T4 to T3 keeping your metabolic furnace burning.

 

10. Zinc like selenium works on the T4/T3 conversion. It also works along with leptin to help suppress appetite. Use 30 mg of zinc at bedtime and  balance that with 1-2 mg copper.

 

Diet & exercise and supplementation are 2 steps to get you to  summer slim. Next week I attack the last secret to “Shape Up and Strip Down for Summer”.

 

 

3 Secrets to Shape Up And Strip Down For The Summer

weight training (Photo credit: midwestnerd)

Ready or not here it comes! Bathing suit season will be here before you know it. Whether your goal is to take off 5 pounds or 50 pounds before shedding the winter coat for a bathing suit, I have 3 secrets to share that will help get you there.

#1 Rule of Thumb: Nutrition and Exercise Together Forever

The impact of exercise on weight loss has been thought to lie in the area of weight maintenance because in order to lose weight it is difficult to burn 3500 calories, or 1 pound, in a week.

Some research has shown that exercising in the morning before eating burns 3 xs as many calories because your glycogen stores are lower after an overnight fast. But truthfully, you can have this advantage at any time of the day when you follow a low carb ketogenic diet. When doing a ketogenic diet, you burn fat and not glucose, all day long. So if this is true for you, you can burn those extra calories at any time of the day.

Interestingly enough, the results from a study by Jabekk PT et al. entitled “Resistance training in overweight women on a ketogenic diet conserved lean body mass while reducing body fat”, shows the combination of resistance training, not cardiovascular exercise, with a high fat, low carbohydrate ketogenic or lower calorie diet helps to fuel fat loss and preserve lean body mass, http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/7/1/17.

This new insight translates into more powerful tools for you to help reach your weight loss goals for the summer. Attack weight loss with a double edge sword; use a healthy diet and strength training to work together to melt body fat.

The rationale behind this seems to be that different metabolic catalysts, such as hormonal regulation of fat breakdown, are at work and seem to aid weight/fat loss more than factoring exercise into the “calorie equation”.

The researchers believe, “that carbohydrate restriction in combination with resistance exercise in particular, offers an advantage over both low-fat diets with exercise and low carbohydrate diets without exercise, in improving body composition”.

There is only 116 days until summer so you may want to maximize your weight loss with resistance training and a ketogenic diet!  Wanna follow a ketogenic diet and have no idea what it is? I have the site for you, http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/ or check out my book, “The Stubborn fat Fix”,  http://www.amazon.com/The-Stubborn-Fat-Fix-Metabolic/dp/159486828X.

You do not have to belong to a gym to engage in resistance exercise. Check out these 10 training exercises to get started quickly, http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/articles/2009/04/10/10-forms-of-resistance-training-that-strengthen-your-muscles?page=3, and even in the comfort of your own home.

What is important to keep in mind is the fact that for those who do exercise, weight loss may be observed as inches lost (you are smaller) before weight loss shows on the scale. This may be because you are not losing lean body mass. Focus on how cloths fit, use the scale as a secondary measure of weight loss.

Also, if you lose weight in your face first, do not expect your cloths to fit differently initially. Look in the mirror to see your success. Stick with it and changes in your cloths size will follow soon.

Two more secrets on the next couple of weeks, join me next!

 

Renew or Re-Do Your “New Year’s” Vow

February 2013 Calendar (Oaxaca Trees) (Photo credit: planeta)

If you made a vow to yourself on December 31 st or any other day. Keep it. Instead of a once a year pledge, make a real commitment. Set an alarm, mark your calendar for the end of each month and re-visit your  goal to determine if the goal is realistic. If you set a general goal, it is likely you will fall into the 25% of those people whose “diet” will fail. Whether diet or lifestyle or any goal, if you stick with it, you will succeed.

Do you want to lose weight or just be healthier this year? You want to succeed? The goal and strategies you set must be front and center on a daily basis.  What is your goal? How will you accomplish it?

For example, your goal might be: I will lose 2 pounds/week.

How are you going to achieve this goal? Specific behavior strategies that you choose to assist you with daily challenges.

Strategies:

1. Switch my low nutrient snacks for real foods that nourish (100 calorie snack pack out, celery with peanut butter in).

2. I will track my foods for accountability (use an app to track daily food).

3. I will not deprive myself when I’m hungry.

Allow yourself three and a half weeks to determine if the set goal is realistic or you need to change it so that it is attainable.

Renew your vow if your are successful, it’s working for you. Add a second goal with 3 new strategies for detailed actions in February. Do this each month.

If you have not achieved your goal in 3 weeks, re-do your vow so that  it is more attainable.

Example of  a resolution “re-do”:

I will lose one-two pounds each week

Strategies:

1. If I eat a 100 calorie snack pack at work, this will be my only desert of the day.

2. I will track my foods for accountability (use an app to track daily food).

3. I will identify real hunger vs. eating when bored.

Just because your initial attempt at weight loss or better health does not work, it does not mean that within six months you throw in the towel. There is more than one way to get things done. It may take a little time to find your comfort zone. But, you will be on track to accomplishing your goals.

At the end of each month, set a time when you check-in, evaluate your progress, or lack of progress. Learn to accommodate your lifestyle, your food preferences and any other hiccup that might interfere with your goal in order to identify what works for you. When you individualize your own plan, you will beat the odds and find a lifetime of success.

So ask yourself, how did my plan go in January? Which strategies worked? What changes will need to be made to next months plan?

Related articles

• New Years Goals ….month 1! (whatwouldyoulovetodo.wordpress.com)

 

Immunity Boosters

English: Various cells that participate in immune functions. Note that even though hematopoietic stemm cell, erythrocyte, maegakaryocyte and platelets are found in the blood, they do not participate in immune functions. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How do you stay healthy and fight sickness? Your immune system, its’ job 24/7 is keep you well. It wrestles with  fungi, viruses, bacteria, battles pathogens and any foreign invaders while cleaning up cellular debris. Sounds exhausting and it is, that is why as we age the immune system loses its steam. Nourishing the immune system will keep it strong and you healthy.

Eat:

All vitamins, 5 main minerals (zinc, copper, selenium, manganese and iron), all protein but especially arginine, http://jn.nutrition.org/content/137/6/1681S.abstract, and glutamine, http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/9/2515S.full, fat (lower Omega 3 and 6 ratio to less than 1:4) and fiber.

In order to consume all these nutrients, you must eat a variety of low glycemic fruits, a colorful assortment of vegetables, protein from whole eggs (The yolk has choline a precursor to phosphatidylcholine which helps repair cell damage.), fish and grass-fed beef (also contain more Omega 3 essential fatty acids) turkey, sources of arginine (pumpkin/sesame seeds and almonds/cashews) and glutamine (cottage cheese and plain 2% Greek yogurt).

Drink:

tea-white (anti-bacterial and viral), elderberry and green

water with lemon

Green drinks, http://greensplus.com/index.php, any that contain sea vegetables

Practice:

Healthy habits and hygiene. Washing your hands and brushing your teeth is as important as keeping active and avoiding obesity as a study from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine found that in comparison to normal weight mice obese mice were unable to fend off flu and other types of infections, http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/apr05/beck040405.html.

Stress reduction techniques can also boost immunity.

Understand:

Just because these nutrients are immune enhancing, does not mean excess amounts will be helpful. In fact, too much omega 6 fat, iron and vitamin E will actually have detrimental effects on your immune system. The same is true for some medications, such as antibiotics or corticosteroids.

Supplement Foods with Herbs and Spices

Herb and spice supplements boost immune system and protect against aging too.

Curcumin, cloves, basil, garlic, oregano and ginger all ward of sickness and can specifically help in preventing colds and flu.

Reminder:

Avoid consuming products that have been shown to weaken your immune system like soda, alcohol and sugar (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published results of a study that found lowered immunity for up to 5 hours after eating 100 grams of sugar or 3 cans of soda).

Maintain gut acid-base balance with proper foods (vegetables) or a probiotic supplement

Avoid allergic or sensitivity reactions as they produce inflammation

Stay healthy!

 

A Stroke Of Luck And Note of Appreciation to Shape.com

Me on Shape.com ‘s Lifestyle page (Photo credit: JillOW)

As I am gathering information for next week’s blog, “Immune enhancing foods and supplements” ( the second part to “Protecting Yourself Against The Flu”, http://valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/protect-yourself-against-the-flu/), I thought I’d share some great news. I was invited to be a guest blogger for Shape.com. Yeah!!!

It all started out as an interview, http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/reverse-resolutions-you-should-make-year, and then blossomed into a few writing assignments.

This week was a wonderful experience. I really enjoyed getting to know the senior web editor, Brittany, and appreciate her teaching moments. As I wrote these, I thought you might find them helpful as they may apply to you. I have written 3 this week:

1. National Healthy Weight Week: Self Satisfaction Is Key

http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-coach/national-healthy-weight-week-self-satisfaction-key

2. The Cheater’s Guide to Fasting

www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-coach/cheaters-guide-fasting

3. Fight Diet Failure with 4 Secrets for Weight-Loss Success

www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-coach/fight-diet-failure-4-secrets-weight-loss-success

I love hearing from you and getting to know your thoughts and opinions. Please ”like” it, comment, or post to Facebook.

Thanks, I appreciate your support.

 

Protect Yourself Against The Flu

Neutrophil Transendothelial migration, chemokinesis, and phagocytosis of bacteria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Panic has set in with this year’s flu epidemic and there is good reason to be concerned. This year’s flu strain is the H3N2 and it  kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States each year, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_A_virus_subtype_H3N2. Children, the elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system are at highest risk.

Compared with last year, a record year for the least number of cases of the  H1N1 strain (before 1998 this was a virus only found in swine, thus its name “swine flu”). Gee wonder how it crossed over to the human population. This year we are at a record high. You can view US maps to see what has happened over the course of the season, http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm, it is scary.

Mass hysteria helps no one.  The best defense against the flu is a strong and healthy immune system. Flu shots are “based on predictions” and they contain preservatives and additives that lower the immune system and are not that healthy (formaldehyde, mercury, MSG, aluminum, http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm) which is why I myself do not have a lot of faith in them but I do understand why high risk individuals might want to get a flu shot.

This means de-stress, sleep, eat foods that support your immune system and use supplements. Lack of sleep and poor nutrition over time can wear your body down. On a daily basis, boost your immune system.

• Stress affects hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine and immune cells (T-cells, natural killer cells and neutrophils) and acid-base balance. Try stress reduction techniques such as deep breathing, listening to relaxing music, guided imagery, breaks to get up and walk away from the stressful area, journaling  and anything that takes you to a good place. Laughing is a great way to combat the physical results of stress.
• Get some shut eye, for adults seven to eight hours of sleep a night will help keep your immune system on track and children and teens  should shoot for nine or more. According to the mayo clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lack-of-sleep/AN02065, “during sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Certain cytokines need to increase when you have an infection or inflammation, or when you’re under stress. Sleep deprivation may decrease production of these protective cytokines. In addition, infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don’t get enough sleep.”

A weak immune system needs more vitamins (B-complex, C , D vitamin) and minerals ( zinc, potassium, magnesium potassium)  and creates an environment that needs antioxidants, healthy fats like Omega 3 fats and supplements. Optimize your nutritional status through your daily diet.

When you nourish your immune system with sleep, good foods and less stress, it will repay the favor by keeping you well during flu season.

Next week I will detail foods and supplements that you can choose to enhance your immune system. If you cannot wait until next week, try these 5 quick suggestions to get started, http://valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/eat-to-beat-sickness-5-quick-nutrition-tips/.

Related articles

• Flu epidemic strikes millions of Americans already vaccinated against the flu | The Shocking Lack of Evidence Supporting Flu Vaccines | What’s in flu shots? Aluminum, mercury, MSG and formaldehyde (truth11.com)
• New York declares flu emergency amid national epidemic (rawstory.com)
• Should you Get the Flu Shot? (nourishingwayscenter.wordpress.com)

 

Holiday Indulgence Guide For Guiltless Eating

160 reasons to be glad the holidays are over (168/365) (Photo credit: reallyboring)

Who doesn’t gain weight during the holidays? Dieting or not, the holiday season is jam-packed with food and “FULL” of complaints about gaining weight. Five months filled with family and social gatherings  focusing on nothing but food and drink.

So what I’m about to say might be surprising but it provides important details on weight gain during the holidays.

A study tracked 165 middle age culturally diverse men and women about 40 years old to identify actual weight gain during the holiday season. Results suggest that weight is the main factor in determining the amount of weight gained over the course of the holiday season.

People who weigh more gain more.  The results showed a 1-5 or more  pound weight gain over the course of the holidays. For many, damage done during the holidays was not that bad,  only about a pound of weight gain. For others who are overweight or obese, maintaining weight was more challenging.  More weight, was gained (greater than or equal to 5 pounds) by individuals who were overweight or obese. And, this pattern held true in different studies for children too.

If that was not enough to swallow, sink your teeth into this.

Holiday indulgence is not just an isolated event, you will be amazed to find out what happens after the holidays. You might think that as time goes on and all the foods associated with the holidays are no more, New Years‘ resolutions are made and preparations for bathing suit season begin with diets and other weight loss tools, that the weight gained during this time frame would melt away. Yet to the contrary, this study suggests that holiday indulgence may be more powerful than you realize.

It seems that fat gained over the holidays is stubborn and participants in this study had not lost the seasonal weight that was gained. Something to think about as Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day approach. The authors also admit that although their methods helped produce reliable results, there are demographic groups that may not be represented and that people who are not as health conscious or those who fall into a lower socioeconomic group may have different more dramatic results.

Over indulging during the holidays is not benign, it can be fatal to long-term dieting and good health. Consider this in planning your diet strategies over the next month or two. Of course, there is no reason to deprive yourself this season but there is a difference between indulgence and over-indulgence. Keep the odds stacked in your favor, follow these “Holiday Rules” or create your own.

How To Indulge Without Over Indulging

1. Ask yourself, “Is one or five days worth a lifetime of being heavier?”

2. Commit to losing a few extra pounds before or during the season

3. Follow a 3 teaspoon taste rule: One spoon because it is a special holiday food. Two, because you know you want seconds and three is “one for good luck”. An incentive to stick with the plan. Then the rest is given to someone else or thrown out.

4. Do not deprive yourself. Pre-select the foods and the amount of food you will eat on each of these holidays.

5.  Pace yourself and take specific intervals of time between eating

If your weight has not budged or has only moved in the wrong direction, try sticking to a nutrition plan over the holidays as a self commitment promise knowing that the same foods will be waiting for you next year when you weigh less.

Some tips that can help get you through the holidays

http://valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/three-holiday-tips-to-maintain-control-of-your-goal/

http://valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2012/11/25/30-days-30-ways-to-stick-with-your-meal-plan-during-the-holidays-or-anytime/

http://valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/10-winter-warm-and-healthy-low-carb-foods-and-beverages/

Eat to make a change, eat to lose weight and be healthy. Eat during the holidays just do not overeat. But if you do, if you gain weight, how will you prioritize the weight loss so you can prove this study wrong and lose the seasonal weight gain?

 

30 days & 30 Ways to Stick With Your Meal Plan (During the Holidays or Anytime)

Focus-on-your-goal (Photo credit: MotiveWeight)

Whether you are trying to lose weight or train for an athletic event, holidays, birthdays and “special” events seem to interfere with even the most dedicated dieters.  There are 30 days ’til Christmas and even longer until New Years and Valentine’s Day. Utilize this month to get over holiday humps.

30 Ways to prevent diet damage 

1. Honesty is the best policy. Be honest with yourself about your ability to stick to a personally created strategy that you can stick to during times of temptation.

2. Create a practical plan. It is up to you. Will you stay the course? Plan cheats that you can manage and maintain your weight? Allow yourself to gain a couple of pounds knowing that you will get right back on track?

3. Enlist support. If you have supporters, you will feel more comfortable and less stress when eating with family or friends during meals

4. Stick to your guns. This is where numbers 1, 2, and 3 come together because unless you decide to stick to your plan, none of the above will work.

5. Stay well hydrated. Drink enough water and tea so your body has fluid on board help metabolism and side track false hunger signals.

6. Be Active.

7. Rest and de-stress

8. Pay attention to every little thing you put into your mouth.

9. Convenience. Make healthy eating convenient. If it means eating salads from McDonald’s instead of french fries or keeping cut veggies in the fridge. Just do it. Make unhealthy eating as inconvenient as possible. Do not buy any food that is not on your plan, walk away from a cafeteria filled with junk and vending machines.

10. Avoid hunger. Being hungry is the perfect excuse to eat what you shouldn’t.

11. Daily motivation. What motivates you? A dress, a person. Identify what motivates you and get your daily dose no matter what.

12. Just say, “No, thank you” and practice avoiding foods or situations that you know are goal deterrents. Rehearse the scene in your mind. Practice saying, “No”, out loud and in comfortable situations. You will prove to yourself it can be done.

13. Enjoy the smell of food, flowers or any scent. Smells may be more satisfying than eating the actual food sometimes.

14. It’s all about attitude. Positive attitude weighs heavily on success. You are not depriving yourself but feeding yourself delicious foods you choose.

15. Choices, your choices, to be honest with yourself, to maintain a positive attitude, to stick with the plan will make you or break you when trying to attain your goals.

16. Prioritize, #1, upfront and in the center of your mind all the time, never let your goal out of sight or mind.

17. Identify and categorize foods into the “must-have” or “have-nots”.

18. Maintain control, here are a few quick tips: valerieberkowitz.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/three-holiday-tips-to-maintain-control-of-your-goal/.

19. Stay away from negative people who sabotage your plan.

20. Do not sabotage yourself, make everyday count. No excuses. Yes, one day off plan does not mean much but too much of that excuse, or any excuse, gets you absolutely no where.

21. Follow your feelings. Do not eat as a result of feeling sad or emotionally drained, there will only be  negative consequences as a result. But, allow positive feelings like feelings of fullness, happiness, improved energy and controlled eating to guide your food choices.

22. Review what strategies worked or did not work in the past and why if your strategy last year was to eat before a party so you were not hungry and you ate anyway change the strategy. If you did not eat before a party and you were ravenous and ate everything in sight during the party, strategy adjustments are necessary.

23. Make the changes mentioned in from #22 into habits so you adopt

24. Boast and brag all you want. Make sure you do something positive each day so that you can talk about how well you are doing. It will get you positive feedback and support from your friends and it will help you reinforce all the hard work and positive results for yourself.

25.  Watch the clock and set specific eating times when you will allow yourself to eat. Try taking what you want to eat and holding on to it until the end of a specified eating to time. Or, allow the  hors d’oeuvres to pass 2-3 times before taking your next.

26. Chat up a storm…it is difficult to talk and eat at the same time.

27. If you think you might go for seconds take 1/2 your portion to start with.

28. Food appearance is as important as anything else in the decision-making process of what to eat so pick different colors  and a variety of colorful foods to make your plate look so good no one would pass it up.

29. Revisit the true spirit of the holidays which is spending time with family and friends, giving to others. It is not about over consumption and gluttony.

30. Any mistake you make is a learning opportunity! Check out Jimmy Moore, www.carbsmart.com/critique-of-nutritional-ketosis-by-valerie-berkowitz.html/comment-page-1#comment-19904.

 

 

Three Holiday Tips To Maintain Control of Your Goal

Table Setting (Photo credit: MoToMo)

Hectic around here as I am sure it is for everyone this time of year. It will stay crazy for the next few months. So I thought I’d give you 3 quick tips as a reminder of how to handle the holiday months without guilt and without complaints. You are in control of any foods you choose.

If during the holidays you allow yourself to jump off the wagon, make sure you land on your feet. Give yourself 3 days of extra strict food manipulation before and or after the big day. Remember these are holi “days” not “holiweeks”.

If you decide to plan and follow a strategy during the holiday months this year it will set the path for upcoming holidays that you and anyone else in the family can enjoy. It is never too late to start good habits.

1. Pre-plan what you will eat before the festivities begin.

Start the conversation a few days before the holiday; what is being served?

If you think a certain food will be a disaster for you, focus on all the food you can enjoy and still maintain control of your goal. Try to estimate how many calories or carbs you are willing to give this meal. Actually write down how many calories/carbs the foods are and create a plan from there. The more you commit, the better your chance of holiday “survival”.

Wake up and before you get out of bed, think about your food and exercise options for the day.

• What foods and beverages will be on the table?
•  Which foods will you choose?
• Will you exercise before you start the day, later on in the day before or after the big meal?

2. Divert your attention from the focus on unhealthy food and unwanted habits.

• bringing a “new” healthy dish that is on your plan to share with others
• enlisting company for your “annual Turkey Day Walk”
• set up a board game to divert the attention away from eating and on to winning the game

3. No matter what the situation, allow yourself to relax and enjoy! Holidays can be stressful, whether it is diverse family dynamics, economics, any hardship, take a deep breath (or two) and allow the negativity to leave your body as you exhale.  

• there are positives (people, health…) in your life, write them down
• understand that no person or situation is perfect and try to be accepting and sympathetic
• focus on those people and things that bring happiness into your heart, food does not dictate happiness and should not be used as an emotional crutch or weapon against yourself and your personal health goals

Please share your tips with those of us who may benefit from your holiday survival strategies and check in to let us know how you are doing during the season. If it helps to vent, you should and you can do so anonymously without any of your inner circles knowing.

I am always here for you. We should always be ready to be there for one another.

Happy, healthy and pleasure filled holidays to all!