We all love this time of year, Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Hanukkah or Christmas, and finally it all gets wrapped into a big New Year celebration. As fun as the holiday season is, it’s also known as the “waistline” increasing season (the not so fun part of the holidays)! Well, not this season! Here are three tips that will keep your weight in check and help you not only survive, but win through this holiday season!
Tip 1 – Eat in 3’s
Your body is a “feed as it goes” machine, which means you need to feed it consistently throughout the day. The rule of 3’s keeps this really easy. Simply eat every 3 hours (a total of 5–6 meals a day) and divide your plate in thirds: 1/3 protein, 1/3 fat, and 1/3 carbohydrates. Eating this way keeps your blood sugar balanced, which balances your hormones and triggers your body to steadily release fat.
Tip 2 – Have your MRFK
We all know life is busy, and during the holiday season it’s even busier! This is why having a MRFK (mobile readiness food kit) is crucial to stay on plan. Your MRFK is your “quick to-go” meal options that allow you to get a balanced meal during those tough meal times, early morning, midmorning, midafternoon, and late night. It could be simply a protein bar in your purse or briefcase, or a more deluxe MRFK that has proteins like: turkey jerky, Greek yogurt, hardboiled eggs, etc.; fats like: nuts, seeds, etc.; carbohydrates like: fruit, veggies, crackers, etc.; or meal replacements like: a protein bar or shake. You can load up a travel-size cooler and be ready to take on the world, even during holiday shopping!
Tip 3 – Cheat Right
It seems like the best food of the year comes around during holiday time…it’s truly the “eating” season! The cool thing is you can “have your cake and eat it, too”—you just need to know how work those extra treat meals into your plan. By eating 3-4 oz of protein before any type of treat meal (cake, chocolate, candy, alcohol, pie, etc.), you immediately slow down the release of sugar into your blood, which minimizes the fat storage from that meal. Then after the meal, four hours later, get right back on plan and your metabolism will keep on humming.
There you have it, 3 doable tips that will help you survive during this holiday season and actually enter the new year with a faster metabolism than you had Halloween night…now that’s what I call winning through the holidays!
Learn about Mark Macdonald and Body Confidence: Venice Nutrition’s 3-Step System That Unlocks Your Body’s Full Potential at www.venicenutrition.com.