December marks one of the most dangerous months for your waistline. Extra calories everywhere you turn. Cold weather tempting you to pass on your morning jog or drive to the health club. So, what do you do?
Here are a couple secrets that have helped many make it through the holidays with stable weight. Your game plan is:
Tame your stress with serotonin. By taking two fish oil capsules and one B complex each day, you can naturally boost those low serotonin levels that likely give you headaches, anxiety, and tiredness.
Pay attention. Keep a meal and snack record for a change this holiday period. Research consistently shows that those who record their meals and snacks even lose weight while those who were not consistent gained weight. Keep a neat, pocket-sized notebook at hand or download a notepad app for your smartphone. (Don't forget to include all the times you eat something impulsively, when you're not hungry.)
Be flexible. We aren't talking about flexibility exercises here, though they do work wonders!) If you happen to stumble upon a dish, dessert, or beverage you really love, enjoy a modest portion! Be wise about portion size!
The No-empty-hand (or empty-stomach) policy: Avoid going to a dinner party hungry or even remotely low on blood sugar. You'll likely down more calories than you need.
Eat a solid breakfast. Check out some of our tasty ProEnergy recipes that fit in perfectly with the season: Coffee Lover's Delight, Apple Cinnamon Protein Shake, Cherry Ripe, Chocoholics Delight, or Chocolate Cherry.
Use your imagination: Try to picture how you want to feel at the end of the day. Do you want to feel light and full of energy? Or sluggish, guilty, uncomfortable, and too full? Imagine the feeling, picture it in your mind, and remind yourself throughout the day. Once you reach it, freeze. Put the fork down. Stop eating.
Shop smart. Keep your fridge well-stocked with fresh produce and lean sources of protein, including unprocessed meat.
