I hope you had a great week.
Mine was filled with more than its fair share of celebrations, which can be fun, but challenging for staying on track with weight loss.
Sunday we got together with a group of French and Francophile friends to sip champagne and nibble savory snacks while a talented French chef showed us how to make marmalade.
Unfortunately, I lost focus and went way way overboard with the potato chips positioned within an easy arm's reach.
Tuesday night we gathered over pizza, salad and cake to celebrate Mom's birthday and then again Wednesday for lunch and more cake in honor of my brother-in-law's 60th.
All this eating and drinking got me thinking about strategies for staying on track during festive times.
Celebrating is an important part of a happy, healthy, balanced life. And it's natural to get carried away and go overboard sometimes.
But, I believe it's possible to practice moderation in most any situation because I watched my grandmother do it for decades. She managed to enjoy herself without getting carried away.
I, on the other hand, have been known to eat to the point of discomfort.
But by practicing what I learned from her, I'm much more successful navigating the good times than I once was.
Here are some of the strategies I use...
7 Tips for Celebrating in Moderation
- Remember that it's about being with the people you love. Focus more on them and less on the food and drink. Have fun.
- When appropriate, remind yourself that it's their celebration, not yours.
- Don't hang out within reach of the food for too long.
- Have what you really really want and savor it.
- Drink lots and lots of water.
- Have just a "sliver" or "tiny slice" of the sweet stuff like my nana always did. The experts say the most satisfaction comes from the first three bites.The more I pay attention, the more I agree.
- Stop when you're full.
How do you stay on track in times of celebration?
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Ann Balsterholt
This is just what I needed today. Celebrating and having a fun happy hour have been my excuse to sabotage my eating plan. I have always said you can't lose weight until you do it and accept it in your head. I just wondered why I haven't been able to get my head around celebrating with friends. Why can't I accept it in my head and realize a celebration is not a license to go HOG wild. And I do mean hog. Have I got it in my head now that I can enjoy myself without going overboard. Just because I have two drinks, doesn't mean I can't stop at two. Same with chips or dessert. I don't need a big piece. Just a small one.