Think You Can't Cook? Try These 3 Simple, Healthy Recipes!!

Hey Foodies!
So you might be really good at EATING and LOVING food, but how are you at cooking it?? Or maybe you just feel too tired and busy to make a healthy meal for your family every night.
Listen, I used to be a disaster in the kitchen!! And I never, ever have any extra "time" on my hands! But I've learned over the years that cooking a heathy meal doesn't have to be scary or time consuming! Just focus on:

• Keeping things SIMPLE
• Having a rough "dinner plan" for each day of the week. Get my weeknight meal plans HERE.
• Focus on using REAL food vs. packaged and processed foods. Think chicken on the grill and veggies vs. Lean Cuisine :)

Here are THREE simple, healthy recipes you can make that your family will love...and they require VERY little (if any) actual "cooking."

1. 3 Ingredient Salsa Chicken: Easiest recipe on the planet and everyone in the house is happy! Put four chicken breasts in your crockpot with one container fresh salsa (from the deli) and a half a packet of low sodium taco seasoning. Cook on low 4-5 hours until chicken shreds easily. Serve in tortillas with lettuce, sour cream, avocado and whatever other taco toppings you love!

 

2. Sheet Pan Dinner: I LOVE sheet pan dinners because they leave VERY little to clean up and everything is done right on one pan. Mix and match your veggies and protein--i love Trader Joe's Chicken Sausage. If you want to make things even easier, nix all the seasonings and toss everything with a little store bought Pesto. This is my FAVE!

 

3. Breakfast for Dinner: This is a family FAVE of ours! You can do it however your family likes, but this is what's usually on our menu:

• Scrambled eggs with red pepper and cheese
• Pancakes: We LOVE these whole grain protein cakes!
• Turkey Sausage
• A big fruit salad with mixed berries

Check out this video and see how I used to be a disaster in the kitchen and how I turned it around!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-DNFv3y53k

8 Simple Fixes to Beat a Sugar Craving

Ever had a sugar craving??!! Of course you have! Who hasn't??! Sugar--we've been told by many that it's the enemy these days! The typical amount of sugar we are "supposed" to consume (a number set by the powers that be) is around 25 grams for women. The average person consumes over 82 grams! Wowza! And it's so easy to do--there is sugar in EVERYTHING--from bread to salad dressing.

We ALLLLL have those times times where we just need "a little something sweet." Usually this happens to me after dinner. Instead of wolfing down a huge piece of cake (55g of sugar) or a candy bar (35g of sugar) or a Starbucks Frappuchino (about 46g in a Tall)....here are some other options that won't blow your daily sugar intake out of the water!!


Fix #1: Peanut Butter + Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
They are small, but mighty! This is my go-to snack for a sugar craving! They are great to throw in your purse for a snack on the go!

Fix #2: Protein Shake
I am telling you this is the #1 thing I give credit to for curbing my sugar cravings all day! Plus it's packed with vitamins, superfoods and pre and pro biotics. Chocolate is my favorite when I get an afternoon sugar craving, but this Strawberry "Mojito" one rocks my world too!!!

Fix #3: Greek Yogurt Cookie Dough
This "dessert" is one of my very favorite sweet treats! You can pull it together in about 1 minute!

Fix #4: Peanut butter dip with apples
I mix 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with about 1 tablespoon of water....stir until water is incorporated and it's nice and smooth. Drizzle in honey and stir for a smooth, creamy and SWEET dip with apples!

Fix #5: Dried fruit
It doesn't get much easier than this! The bulk containers in the grocery store have endless options. Just be sure to get fruit without extra sugar added. My faves are pineapple and mango.

Fix #6: Cinnamon apples with vanilla frozen yogurt
Throw some apples in the slow cooker with a little brown sugar (or coconut sugar), cinnamon and nutmeg and you have dessert for the whole week! Add a little vanilla frozen yogurt for an extra sweet treat!

 

Fix #7: Frozen Grapes
Nothing is easier! It's great to freeze grapes when they are on the verge of going bad--they're extra sweet when they come out of the freezer :)

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Fix #8: Healthy Dole Whip
I have never had REAL Dole Whip so I don't know the difference between this and the "real" version. All I know is that this is something I could eat every single day!!!

 

Essential Tips for Eating Out and Staying Healthy

My friends know I am a ((former)) health and fitness coach and they know I am always (usually) cooking healthy, working out and prepping my meals.  It's always funny to see their face when I order fries or something super unhealthy when we go out to eat.

For me, healthy eating (and healthy living!) is all about balance, not deprivation. I am sure you have heard--and experts have confirmed--80% of weight loss is diet and 20% is exercise. ((So that explains my inability to lose ONE POUND of baby weight by just going to the gym for years! HA!))
Here are my tips for eating out while still sticking to your nutrition plan:

• EAT OUT AS A TREAT: When you are trying to lose weight and stay healthy, eating out should be looked upon as a TREAT, not a regular occurrence. When you only eat out a few days a month, you can afford to splurge a little! Order the fries! Have the bread! When you are on track most days of the month, a few days of eating out won't spoil your weight loss progress.
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• GET YOUR WORKOUT IN: If you’re going out for a nice dinner, workout that morning and stick to healthy eating for breakfast and lunch. Enjoy your dinner and get back on track the next day.  Just because you eat ONE meal out, doesn't mean the entire day has to be unhealthy.
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• STICK TO SMALLER PORTIONS: Stick to smaller portions, take leftovers, and share dessert (if you have it at all). No matter how great it might taste at the moment, the bad post-meal feelings of eating too much just aren’t worth it. Sometimes just a bite or two of dessert is enough to give me my post-meal sweet fix.Need help with portion control?? Read about my Health and Fitness groups HERE! In my groups we learn ALLLL about portion control--it literally CHANGED the way I ate!
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• ASK FOR MODIFICATIONS: Don’t be afraid to ask the waiter for modifications to keep it healthy. Baked, grilled and broiled proteins are usually always an option.
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• LIMIT STARCHES: Instead of getting chips, rice AND beans...choose one or two and skip the other! Double up on protein if you can as it will keep you full longer.
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• DRINK UP: Unless you prefer to drink your calories (sometimes I do!! #wine), choose food calories over drink calories. Water is the best thing you can order....drinking water will help with digestion and help to fill you up--with NO extra calories :)
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• ORDER FIRST: You'll be less tempted to change and be swayed by what others are getting.
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• USE COMMON SENSE (but be honest with yourself!!): Life (and food!) is meant to be enjoyed, so don't stress out about eating out or having a treat meal once in awhile. But also--BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF about your eating out habits. Are you eating out once in awhile as a treat or is it a more regular occurrence?  If it's more of a regular thing, maybe try your hand at having one or two more meals per month at home. I

6 Essential Tips for Staying Motivated with Your Health & Fitness

Ah, health and fitness motivation. Raise your hand if you've been gung ho to start a workout routine or made a New Year's resolution to "eat healthy," went strong for a week or two and fell off the wagon?? Yep, me too! Roughly 70% of people who start a workout program QUIT within a few months! Why? Here are a few reasons why and guess what?? We're going to solve them!!

REASONS WHY WE GIVE UP A HEALTH AND FITNESS ROUTINE

1. Life. In one word: LIFE. Life is BUSY, ya'll!! We might have the best intentions to start when things are good, but when life throws us a loop (a kid-activity packed week, work deadlines, potty training, marital stress, illness, etc etc etc), we straight up GIVE UP!!!!
   
   
2. Unrealistic Goals & Expectations: This is especially true in the New Year--we want to go BIG!! "I am going to lose 50 lbs this year!!!" we shout from the rooftops!! Woot woot! Big goals are AWESOME, but big goals without a plan are worthless.
   
3. Boredom: Although running around the neighborhood everyday or buying a treadmill to run on at home might seem like a great idea, chances are after a few weeks, extreme boredom is going to set in.
   
4. No Accountability: Although we'd all love to be self motivated and kick ass ALL THE TIME, it's often impossible to accomplish goals without a strong support network. I mean, who doesn't want a cheerleader supporting and motivating them to reach their goals??!

Good news! Although these are all difficult obstacles to overcome, here are 6 ways you can GET OVER IT and **finally** reach your goals!! You can do it, I promise.

SIX TIPS TO STAY MOTIVATED

1. Have a WHY: Before you even start a workout program and nutrition plan you need to have a strong WHY. or REASON why you are doing it. This is very personal to every person and everyone has a different reason for starting a health and fitness journey. In my fitness challenge groups, I have heard every WHY under the sun. Ranging from "I want to be the mom who goes in the pool with their kids and isn't embarrassed to wear a bathing suit" to "I want to overcome my depression" to "My doctor said if I don't do something, I won't live much longer. I've heard it all. Your WHY can be simple or profound. But whatever it is, make sure it's motivating enough to get you out of bed in the morning. Think hard and dig deep!!
   
2.  Realistic Goals: Set short, realistic and measurable goals. Saying on January 1st, "I want to lose 50lbs!" may be well-intentioned, but what will end up happening is you'll have setbacks (AKA: life) and realize you are SO FAR from your goal, it will seem unattainable. The result--you give up. Setting short term goals -- i like to do monthly or 12 week goals--will help keep you motivated because it's a goal you're closer to reaching. Also, give yourself a deadline. Bad Goal: I want to lose 50lbs! Good Goal: I want to lose 5lbs by April 30th.
   
3. Schedule It: Decide each day WHEN and WHERE you will work out (at home, at the gym, spin class, etc) and schedule into your calendar just like a meeting with your boss. You wouldn't ditch a planned meeting with your boss, so don't ditch your planned workout.
   
4. Accountability: Find a workout partner, tell your spouse, post it on Facebook--whatever YOU need to do to so you will be held accountable for your eating and workouts. In my accountability groups we have a daily check in and I always love knowing that there are people in the group supporting me and checking on me.
   
5. Mix It Up: Boredom is a big reason people quit with their  fitness routine. This was COMPLETELY me when I used to go to the gym! All I would do is hop on the ellpitical for 30-40 minutes....day after day. UGH! Mix up your workouts! Get outside, try a sport, get a new workout video...whatever you need to do to stay motivated with something fresh and exciting!
   
6. Non-Scale Victories: Getting started on your health and fitness journey means a lot more than just a number on a scale. Yes, most of us want to lose weight. However, in order to do that the RIGHT way by making a lifestyle change, takes time and patience. Instead of constantly focusing on the number on the scale, make a list each week of "non scale victories." Did you have more energy? Were you able to resist those doughnuts in the break room?  Did you try a healthy new recipe? Celebrate these victories! They all help in achieving your goal!

4 Tips for Great Abs + A Workout That REALLY Works!

If you ask most women what they think is their most desirable area of their body, I am guessing VERY few would say "my abs!!!"Let's face it--the throes of motherhood have put our abs through the ringer!

It's easy use the excuse that because you have birthed children that you can't have great abs no matter how hard you work-- but that simply isn't true. It IS true that our bodies change and your abs might not look exactly like the chick on the cover of SHAPE magazine or how they looked when you were 19, but great abs at any age is completely possible!


The key is not 1,000 crunches a day. The key is having killer exercises COMBINED WITH  getting a few other things in line as well (ahem, nutrition!!). Here are my four tips if you're ready to see your abs again!! :)

Tip #1: Get your nutrition in line
This is CRITICAL to getting abs. You MUST MUST lose belly fat in order for those cute little abs to make their appearance. You can do this by following a lean protein, lower carb diet. Note I did NOT  NOT say no carbs!!  Please don't deprive your body of the nutrients in "good" carbs. You also need healthy fats so please don't run out an buy everything "fat free" thinking that will be the cure-all to losing fat.
As an example, to lose weight and overall body fat, a 170-pound person would want to eat close to the following amounts each day:
*4 cups of vegetables
*3 cups of fruit
*3 ¾ cups of protein (examples: chicken, fish, turkey Greek yogurt, cottage cheese)
*1 ½ cup of carbs (examples: sweet potatoes, corn, peas, wheat bread, milk)
*1/3 cup of healthy fats (examples: cheese, avocado, nuts)
How close to you come to these portions?

Tip #2: Cardio
To lose overall body fat and excess fat around the ab area, you need to be burning CALORIES! This is why sit ups ONLY won't work! You gotta get moving!! Aiming for 15-30 minutes of Cardio 3-4 times a week is a good goal. ((I know you didn't want to hear the cardio part, but great things don't come easy, sister!))

Tip #3: Water!!!
You need to drink water. A lot of it! When you are fully hydrated, your fat burning rate is the highest. Water also helps speed your metabolism which will help burn fat as well. The rule of thumb used to be "6-8 glasses of water." But ok, what's a "GLASS" and doesn't the person's weight matter at all? Does my 70 lb 11 year old need as much water as her 170 lb dad?? Of course not!
A good rule of thumb is half your body weight in ounces. So a 140lb person would need about 70 oz of water per day.

Tip #4: Alcohol
Sorry, not as in: drink MORE alcohol, but drink LESS (once again, I apologize!!) Alcohol is one of the main things that will causes belly bloating and those extra empty calories you just don't need. If you are finding you are sticking with a pretty good diet, working out and still not seeing ab results, excessive alcohol intake could be the culprit. Try limiting your drink intake and see what happens :)

So with those tips in mind, here is a quick 8 minute ab workout  from one of my very favorite trainers, Autumn Calabrese. You can do the moves right along with the video! And don't worry if you can't do every move perfectly! Do the best you can, do it everyday, and just try each time to do better than you did the day before. Remember: Progress NOT Perfection :) You'll get there!
QUICK ABS WORKOUT ~ AUTUMN CALABRESE

10 Ways to Overcome Emotional Eating

Let's chat today about emotional eating. Food and emotions...ack!!! They are like oil and water and should NOT be put together. EVER! Food is meant to be your FUEL, your nourishment and what sustains you throughout the day!

Food is NOT meant to be a "filler" or a comfort for a bad day at work, kids driving you nuts, a boss who's a moron, marital problems or sitting in traffic!! Don't shortchange yourself into thinking that food will bring you lasting comfort for any of these issues.

What are the reasons why you emotionally eat? Is it one of these?

1. You're Stressed: When you're stressed, food is your friend. You have a bad day and you come home and GRAZE...eating whatever will fill the void of a crazy day. Sometimes you don't even know what you're doing! You just grab whatever is available and convenient. It's times like this when having Essential Healthy Items or Healthy Snacks on hand can be KEY!!
2. Mindless Eating: Not always driven by pure emotions but can have the same effects, nonetheless. Whether it's sitting in front of the TV and devouring an entire bowl of popcorn or picking up a handful of M&Ms in the dish at work--sometimes you don't even REALIZE what you're doing! One minute the giant bowl of popcorn is full....the next minute it's gone :)
3. Food as a Reward: You ate well one day so you "deserve" to indulge the next day.
4. You Feel Powerless: You feel that food is the one thing you can control.
5. You Deprive Yourself. You heard that dairy is bad so you totally cut it out of your diet. Grains? BAD!! Stop eating them! Depriving yourself of certain things long term, can lead to binge or emotional eating.
6. Eating Makes You Feel Good. Plain and simple. It's a quick fix.

Maybe you can relate to one of these but maybe you have a reason of your own as to why emotional eating gets the better of you! Whatever the reason, in order to overcome it, you need to define exactly what your reason(s) are for emotional eating. For example:

• I'm exhausted chasing around my toddler and dealing with my 'tween,  so I am just going to sit here with a bag of chips and veg out.
• I deserve this chocolate cake because I just finished a big project at work.
• I have a HUGE presentation tomorrow and I'm stressed, I am going to stop for fast food.

When you start feeling like you might be emotionally eating (or getting ready to!) below are a few things you can do. The first thing is to ask yourself if you REALLY REALLY want what you are about to eat....is it something special you have from time to time like Grandma's famous triple chocolate cake?  Or is it just empty calories to fill a void? If you decide the later, here are a few things you can do instead of eating:

A Morning Routine That Will Change Your Life

Let me start by saying I am NOT a morning person. Well, I WASN'T a morning person until last year, that is. I still have vivid memories of my dad waking me up on the weekends at 11:00am. I would DRAG myself out of bed like a rockstar who had been partying all night. Except I was 15 and in bed by 9:00pm...not only was I not a morning person but I was not a night owl, either. Yep, I was the one who got their undies frozen at every sleepover!

My dislike for mornings continued into adulthood as a savored every single precious moment in bed on the weekends....often just lounging until 9 or 10am. Then --- enter KIDS! My lazy mornings were ripped from me, along with any resemblance of free time or ME time! Sound familiar?

I went dragging along this way for years and years until one day (3 kids and many sleep deprived years later) I decided I need to get my body back and start working out again. Buuuutttttt.......I had no time. I worked most days, had kids to take care of the other days, sports to drive to, lunches to pack, mouths to feed and I needed to work my precious sleep in there somehow! But I was desperate and something had to give. So I decided the only time I could squeeze my workout in was at 5:00am.

You know what? Not only did I get my workout in everyday, but I learned to TRULY appreciate the morning. The stillness. The quiet. The pure and utter joy I got from this ME time. I had never read The Miracle Morning before I started this routine ( and I still haven't read it in it's entirety) but the principle of the book and what I do each morning are essentially the same.

Here is my simple morning routine- i start at 5:00am and end at 6:00am.

1. Exercise (30 minutes): I don't enjoy working out at all...EXCEPT when I am done I feel like a million bucks! Working out in the morning is KEY for me for the sheer fact that it doesn't give me all day to make excuses about why I can't get my workout in. And even if the whole day goes to he**, I at least know I accomplished something great to start the day.
   
2. Reading/Motivation (15 minutes): Reading is also something "I don't have time for." So mornings is when I get it done! I also choose something along the lines of personal development vs. fiction (I save that before bed or another time).  I like to start the day with my mind filled with positive thoughts or information I know will help me grow either personally, spiritually or professionally. Right now I am reading a book called Untangled about navigating your way through parenting a pre teen. Choose a book that is relevant to YOU--figure out what you need "help" with and find a book about it! It can even be a devotional or positive quotes book--anything to get your mind in a good place.
   
3. Warm Drink and Daily To Do List (5-10 minutes): For me, this is COFFEE (black, one Stevia packet), but tea or hot water with lemon or warm milk are great too! The warmness brings a sense of calm to the day. Along with my warm drink I get out my phone and write the things I need to accomplish for the day in my Reminders section. Checking those things off during the day is a huge mental boost! You can even add "Drink morning coffee" to the list if you really want to feel accomplished fast!! LOL!
   
4. Silence (5-10 minutes): A a mom of 3 and part time teacher, there aren't many times in the day that I get to enjoy true and utter SILENCE. Just 5 minutes of pure silence and being in my own thoughts sets a calming tone for the day. During this time I like to express gratitude and list in my head things I am thankful for.

This morning routine is so simple yet sets the tone for your entire day! I think if you implement a morning routine similar to this one you will:

• Gain a sense of peace
• Lower your stress
• Feel accomplished
• Improve your overall health and even lose weight!
• Feel energized
• Feel more gracious and less anxious 

If you are not used to getting up early, trust me, it takes some getting used to. But I truly urge you to try it for at least 2 weeks (Monday- Friday) and allow your body the time it needs to adjust. I am telling you, friends--this morning routine has been a true lifesaver to this busy mama craving ME TIME. :)

Simple Weekend Meal Prep

Here's just a simple 30 minute meal prep you can do this weekend to make next week run smoothly!!!

 I'm not a HUGE food prepper, but I take about 30 minutes on Sundays to prep a little to make sure I had something healthy to grab all week! It makes all the difference !!

1. Pico de Gallo- on top of eggs, taco salad 

2. Shredded chicken off a rotisserie chicken, skin removed 

3. Egg Cups - soooo easy for breakfast or snack. Recipe HERE

4. Cut up/washed pineapple and strawberries - my favorite snack is fruit, cottage cheese and a drizzle of honey

This 30 minutes makes the week go so much more smoothly ... well, food wise anyway !!


**All images on this blog are Pinnable to Pinterest! Just hover over the icon in the top right corner!! :) 

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Moderation

Ever feel this way??!!! I LOOOOVE myself some nachos! Might be my favorite food EVER!! :) But I still work out and enjoy in MODERATION. That's the key isn't it?

Need help with that scary word "MODERATION??!" A year ago I sure did and totally changed the way I ate! Now I want to pay it forward! I run health and fitness challenge groups where you will get 100% support with your health and fitness goals! Maybe you need help with moderation...controlling cravings...meal planning..recipes....toning up.....losing weight...I would LOVE to help you!

I run groups every month and my next one starts January 30th! Let's chat about it!! Friend me on Facebook (link below) or send me an email at: cheerfully.fit.mama@gmail.com.

In the meantime, if you need a jump start, download my FREE 7 Day Clean Eating Meal Plan! Click on Meal Plans at the top of this page. I will be adding more soon!!! XOXO

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10 Tips for Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

** This post originally ran on The Blended Blog this week but wanted to post it here as well!

The holidays...a time of joy, gratitude, sharing..and lots of eating and drinking! Am I right?? Not exactly a time when words like "healthy" or "exercise" come into our vocabularies. It's more like this:

I am ALL for Eat, Drink and Be Merry this time of year! However, I also don't like to feel terrible come January 1st and feel like I have to play catch up at the gym with the other 4 zillion people there! Here my 10 tips on how you can stay healthy this holiday season ~


1. Consistency with Exercise: This might be a no-brainier but the holidays are NOT a time to throw your exercise routine out the window simply because "it's the holidays." Consistency with exercise is KEY for several reasons. First--it helps balance out the extra calories you will undoubtedly consume! Also, exercise is also a huge stress reliever and I don't know about you, but the holidays aren't exactly stress-free around my house!!

If you aren't currently doing any exercise don't use the excuse that you'll "wait until the new year." Start NOW!! Get a jump start and get ahead instead of feeling so far behind come January 1st. It can be as simple as committing to a walk around the block, dusting off the treadmill that you vow to pull out January 1st, a workout video or a quick 7 minute workout (Google "7 Minute Workout"). ANYTHING to get your body moving and your endorphins released will help you through the holidays in more ways than one!

2. Stay Hydrated: Did you know the recommended amount of water to drink is HALF your body weight in ounces? So if you are 150 lbs, that means you need 75 oz, or roughly six 12 oz bottles of water each day. Water helps with so many things, but one thing it really help with is controlling the amount you eat and how full you feel. I never used to drink water with meals but now that I do, I find myself wanting LESS food!

3. Your Plate: When you eat a large meal, try to balance your plate so it's completely overloaded with fats and carbs. Here's a basic rule of thumb you can follow for a holiday meal ~

* 2 Proteins=the size of your palm (ham, turkey, steak, etc)
* 2 Carbs=what would fit in your cupped hand (those creamy mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes and all the yummy starchy goodness!)
* 2-4 Veggies/Fruits=the size of your fist (hopefully there are veggie options at your holiday table! Salad, green beans, brussel sprouts, etc.)

4. Have a Plan: This may be the most important one of all! You MUST plan your meals ahead. If you don't, you will end up hungry (HANGRY!) and frantic which will 100% of the time lead to poor food choices. Been there, done that!! I have been planning my meals for years and it literally takes me less than 15-20 minutes on a weekend. It 100% sets me up for success the next week!

5. SNACK!!! When you plan your meals, plan healthy snacks too! Have them READY and AVAILABLE when those temptations creep up!! Here are some ideas of healthy snacks that are packable and aren't full of empty calories!

6. Avoid Temptation: If you work in an office or at a school like I do, the break room is my arch nemesis during this time of year! Cookies, candy, doughnuts are EVERYWHERE in the break room. I know I'm a sucker for a piece of See's Candy and a doughnut or two, so I just pack my healthy snack and STAY OUT! That way I don't have to see it or think about what I am missing! If you're at home, same thing--stash junk out of sight (no little candy dishes all around the house!) or better yet, give it away! You can't eat what's not around.

7. Gifts other than baking: A simple "i'm thinking of you" gift such as nail polish with a personalized tag, a DIY picture frame or a decorated mug or mason jars filled with cookie baking ingredients are all simple ways to say "Happy Holidays!" without sticking more cookies or fudge in front of someone...well, in front of US because if you bake them, you know you have try them...just to make sure they're good :)

8. The Ten Minute Rule: I LOVE to eat. Make no mistake about it! On Thanksgiving, I am typically the first one to get up for seconds of mashed potatoes and whatever other starch is left! This Thanksgiving though, I did things a little differently. I drank lots of water with my meal (#2 above!) and after I was done, I just sat and waited for 10 minutes. I enjoyed my glass of wine and just sat at the table and chatted instead of immediately rushing for a 2nd plate. IT WORKED!! After 10 minutes, I found myself just perfectly full (with a little room left for dessert!!) and I didn't need to get up for more food. Afterwards I felt AWESOME, not bloated and stuffed like I used to! You learn something new every day!! :)

9. Pre-Eat for Holiday Gatherings: It's a given that there is delicious food everywhere at holiday gatherings, and pretty much none of it is healthy! There is no avoiding it, but I have found it helpful to eat a decent meal before I leave for a party. Then you are able to indulge in SOME things, but hopefully won't have the appetite to go crazy on the meatballs and cheese tray!

10. Moderation: Most people fall into two camps around the holidays...ALL or NOTHING ~

* ALL: "I'm not exercising, I'm eating whatever I want, indulging...this is the HOLIDAYS! I want to enjoy!!"
* NOTHING: "No, I can't eat that, it'll ruin my diet. I can't eat dessert. I can't I can't I can't."

These "all or nothing" attitudes aren't healthy! Remember that moderation is key. Have a Christmas cookie, but ONE small one. Have a piece of candy one day, but forgo the workplace sweets the rest of the week. Don't deprive yourself, but practice self control. Listen to Julia!

With that, my friends, I am wishing you all a very, very happy, blessed and healthy holiday season!!!!




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