No doubt about it, December is Foodie Season! This is the season where there are so many good foods around to try, including some that are often only served this time of year. For a Foodie who loves trying new foods and is also emotionally attached to serving ALL of the old ones, it’s going to be a challenging month for weight loss.
It doesn’t help that the season is so busy. I’m juggling gift lists, ingredient lists, cookie exchange servings, contributions to various potlucks, and more. The last thing I want to do is list what I’m eating, or what I plan to eat.
Moreover, sometimes when I do warn myself that I won’t lose weight if I eat something, I feel like I don’t care. I want to cut loose. (Maybe I should change that statement around: I want my pants to be loose. Then I’d have to ask Mary Ann for tips on making them work.)
I’m a few pounds down from my “panic weight” that I blogged about right after Thanksgiving. Some of it may have been bloat, luckily. I’m now back to being nine pounds less than I was when I started. (I’m short; so even a few pounds lost is hard-fought on the one hand, and noticeable on the other!)
Here are some suggestions for those of us who want to lose weight, or at least not gain it, over the holidays.
Plan ahead for some “splurge” foods you know you want to have. Look over the buffet first and make sure that you take only what you really will enjoy.
Plan ahead, also, for quick breakfasts and lunches you can have on the go, like cereal, meal bars, hard-boiled eggs, protein smoothies.
At parties when your first thought is: I only get to try Mary’s quiche once a year! Try thinking: I could learn to make it and have it anytime. Or, The years are going really fast now that I’m over 40; next year will be here before I know it. (Okay, that one might be too traumatic to be helpful; judge for yourself.)
Focus on seeing people, not on eating food. When you do eat, try to enjoy it. I’ve mentioned before how I ate a heaping plate of food at a potluck without even tasting it because I was so engaged in the conversation. Tell yourself that you may not be able to do justice to the food in this setting, and you’d rather focus on the company and enjoy the food later, when it fits your meal plan.
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