Top 10 Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

Are you dreading the upcoming holiday season because of all the food, running around, and lack of time to care for yourself?  Here's my Top 10 Healthy Holiday Tips to keep your waist under control and to.....

1. Set a limit of how many "bad" things you'll eat.  It's OK to indulge during this special time of the year.  But it's not OK to eat as much as you like!  Setting a limit allows you to make choices and not take in too many extra calories.
2. Make healthy meals when you're at home.  You'll most likely be eating out a lot in the next few weeks due to parties, parties, and more parties!  So when you are at home, make the healthiest meals you can.  But don't make "diet" meals for you and "regular" meals for your family.  Just make ONE meal that's healthy for all of you.  Filling up on water and veggies will help you feel full.
3. Drink a large glass of water before you go out to a holiday party.  This will fill your belly and make you feel full.  You'll still be tempted by all the yummy treats, but feeling full will keep you from overindulging.
4. Keep granola bars in your purse for a healthy snack on-the-go.  Check out my earlier post for an easy recipe, or pick up a box of your favorite ones.  Believe it or not, eating 5 small meals a day will help you lose weight!  It'll keep you from overeating at meal-time, too.
5. Order a "skinny" coffee.  Ok, so I'm not a big fan of fat-free/sugar-free, BUT I'm guilty of overindulging at Starbucks during this time of year.  It's cold out and I just want to grab a yummy, warm coffee/mocha/cappuccino/latte when I'm out running errands.  If I stick to a small skinny drink, I save a LOT of extra calories.
6. Stop drinking diet drinks!  Ok, so that's contrary to the previous tip, but seriously, diet sodas and diet drinks in general only make you more likely to snack or want more food than you should consume.  Stick to water.  Keep a water bottle on hand with you when you're out and about!  Buy yourself a cute one that you'll be proud to take around town.
7. Research fast food nutrition online.  Seriously!  Go online and check out the calories in your favorite fast food menus.  Write down a couple items that are less than 400 calories and stick the list in your purse.  If you have to grab a bite to eat, choose something from your list. 
8. Log your food.  Use an online food diary like www.myfitnesspal.com.  It's FREE & it'll help you know what you are taking in.  You can also log your exercise, which leads me to the next tip....
9. Exercise!  Get up 30 min early and move your body.  Find a workout DVD you like, or go online for some simple exercises.  Get on the treadmill or eliptical.  Go to the gym.  Take a new class.  DO SOMETHING!  If you haven't been exercising and start now, doing so just 3 times a week will work off the extra calories you most likely will consume.
10. Get some accountability!  Find a group of friends, or at least ONE and ask them to help you stay accountable.  Make a virtual appointment to email or IM each other the next few weeks.

I'm linking up to Serenity Now's Weekend Bloggy Reading:

Regular Exercise + Healthy Diet = RESULTS!

Are you ready to make a change in your life?
Are you tired of feeling tired?
Want to get into the best shape of your life?  

Want to transform your body?
Want to win $100,000?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, it's time to get serious and join the Team Beachbody Challenge!

Go here to begin the challenge (click on the "Team Beachbody Challenge box on the right hand side)  and select your Challenge Pack (available during the registration process).  You can customize your pack to get you into the best shape of your entire life!

Have questions?  Feel free to leave a comment or email me: coachkellyabattles@gmail.com.  I'm here for you, because I've been there!  I've lost 43 lbs since April and gone from a size 18 to a 10!  I know this works.  It all boils down to a decision:  Are you really ready to make a change?  It's not a magic pill.  It's hard work:  exercise + healthy diet = RESULTS!  Trust me, it's worth it!

My weight loss journey.....

In April of this year, I decided that I would no longer waste away my life.  I weighed in at my heaviest number and was determined to get healthy.

But what does healthy mean to me?  Instead of choosing a specific weight, I have decided to make a healthy BMI my goal, which means it must be under 25.  I began at a BMI of 32, and decided to give myself a full year to lose the weight.

The First 30 Days
I started with Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred.  I made a commitment to do her video every day for 30 days back in May.  I've heard that anything you do for 21 days becomes a habit.  If I can really work out every day, maybe this will become a habit for me.  (Secretly I didn't believe working out would ever become something I would enjoy to do, but I was hoping for the best!)

I also committed to using www.myfitnesspal.com daily to record my calories.  Eating 1400 calories per day seemed nearly impossible.  Instead of switching to fat-free and sugar free, though, I made the decision to eat "clean".  I wanted to cook the same food for my children and my husband that I was going to eat.  This had to be a long-term thing for me, so a complete renovation of our pantry and fridge began back in April.

After The Initial 30 Days
After I successfully completed the 30 Day Shred, I noticed a very strange thing:  I actually wanted to workout daily!  I ordered Jillian's Ripped in 30 next.  Then it was Beachbody's TurboJam, and then I even began the Couch 2 5K program!

I've brought my calories down to 1200 daily, and try to exercise every day, or at least 5 times a week.  I've also read Made to Crave by Lysa Terkherst, and completed her 21 Day Devotional three times!  I discovered that I had a food addiction, and that I have to fight it.  Filling up on whole foods like organic fruits and veggies, and trying new healthy recipes that my entire family enjoys has changed my life!  I finally have freedom in my eating!  Diet IS a four-letter word.  I am not on a specific diet, other than counting calories. 

We eat healthy food.  Do I "cheat" and eat "bad" things every now and then?  YES!  I haven't restricted anything 100% from my diet.  If I eat a cupcake, I work out extra, or watch my calories a little closer the next day.  This is what has set me free from my food addiction.  If I am "allowed" to have whatever I want in moderation, I don't crave the "bad" stuff anymore!

At the end of August, I signed up to be a Team Beachbody coach, and now I'm preparing to become a certified personal trainer.  This is the same girl who never played sports in school and who sat on the couch watching exercise videos instead of doing them!  No longer, though.  I tell people, "It's like a crazy fitness lady has invaded my body and I'm NOT letting her out."

The Results
So it's been 6 months and this is what I have accomplished:

• Completed 30 Day Shred (twice).
• Completed Ripped in 30.
• Completed 23 days of Turbo Jam.
• Completed 3 different 30 Day Challenges with friends.
• Brought my BMI from 32 to 27.
• Lost 38 pounds and 8" off my waist (!!).
• Brought my percent of body fat from 45% to 28%.
• Changed my eating habits and drastically transformed my entire family's eating habits.
• Run 2.8 miles in 30 minutes (on an elliptical).

Your Challenge
I'm here to tell you that if I can lose weight and be successful working out, you can too!  Join me in this journey...make a commitment to spend the next 30 days eating less and working out (even just 20 minutes a day).  I promise you will see results!  If you are willing to accept this challenge, comment on this post and let me know.