10 Light Holiday Cookie Ideas from GreenLiteBites

Christmas is coming and in my house that means baking season is upon us!

One of my absolute favorite things to do is making cookies with the kids. It was one of my fondest memories as a kid.

Yup that’s me! Sick that Christmas that’s why I didn’t look too happy (accoring to mom,) but I remember loving every moment of it every year. It was something I couldn’t wait to do with my own kids.

Over the last few years I’ve experimented with a few cookie ideas that I can have fun making and feel good about eating and feeding my kids.

There’s nothing wrong with traditional cookie recipes, but making things just a little lighter and healthier is fun challenge for me. Why not try to minimize calories and maximize nutrition while indulging in holiday traditions?

I just don’t see the harm in it. If they don’t turn out than you could always fall back on the classics. I mean how many sugar cookies recipes exist anyway?

Here are 10 cookies ideas I’ve shared on GreenLiteBites. I plan on making at least 2 of these this weekend plus a new bread recipe Mom just shared. Baking starts tomorrow!

View the original article here

Wednesday Weigh In: Holiday Blips

Weigh in showed what I expected it to show.

Up 1.6.

Thank you Halloween Candy, you were a fun indulgence for a couple of days but I’ve had my fill and I’m moving on.

I think we would all do ourselves a service is we expect holiday blips. Embrace them even. What would life be without birthday cake, peanut butter cups and holiday cookies?

NO FUN if you ask me!

Just remember you can be successful at weight loss/maintenance without being perfect. The 80/20 rule concept does apply.

Now it’s time to face the scale, be accountable and move forward –regardless of what it’s reading is this week. And remember that. It’s just a reading not a measure of your success.

View the original article here

Return Of the Pumpkin Head (Holiday Greediness Is Afoot?)

Uh-huh. It all started with The Pumpkin Head Experiment. That’s when I hollowed out my organic orange helmet and affixed it to my cranium. I always look forward to re-attaching my head gear when the season rolls ’round.

Now that Fall is  *this close*  to flinging itself into our midst, I’m readying my chewing jaws for increased pumpkin-pie action, cozy nights of couch-azzing while buried in 15 blankets and, as the months go on, they’ll be free food from people throwing holiday parties.

Free food is FUN. m’kay?

But what else is a greedy gal with fitness goals supposed to do at a time of year like this?

I’m keeping my goals at the forefront of my mind. I’m deciding right now what will and won’t be — how far I’ll allow myself to indulge in the indulgences of the holidays, and when to cut that shizz short.

It’s pre-decision making. Ding! I’ve decided to formulate a set of personal holiday-eating guidelines right now, and I’m imprinting these ideals into my noggin as expectations I intend to follow through on, even while staring into the face of holiday delectable goodness. Although voluntary incidents of splurging will still be had, my Greedy-O-Meter will surely be toned down compared to previous years.

Why?

Welp, I’ve got some amazing body transformation progress going on right now (a new progress pic will be posted on January 1st). Repeated overindulgence “just because” it’s the holidays does NOT fit into my plan, so I’ve pre-decided that no overeating trainwrecks will be had.

My plan is 99.998% foolproof. That other .002% is margin for cupcakes.

The mind is a powerful thing. I’m using my mind (not my food-emotions) to control what happens. Where the mind goes, the body will follow. You see what I’m saying?

But this isn’t about willpower. I see it more as taking charge and following through on the commitments I’ve made to myself. It’s gonna suck sometimes. It might will even feel heart-wrenching as I turn away from the greediness and strive to stay on course, yet I intend to finish what I started and NOT let myself down.

Will you pre-decide along with me? We CAN DO THIS together! ((insert champion music of victory here))

Ye wise ‘ole Pumpkin Head has spoken. Now go… Go from this place to frolic and be merry.

View the original article here

The One Holiday Gift You Absolutely Must Give Yourself This Year

“Do good unto others” … “Love thy neighbor” … “Give and you shall receive” … These are important biblical ideals I believe in and practice to the best of my humanly-flawed ability: giving of yourself is a loving, selfless act that lifts up others. We need that in this crazy world.

But let’s just switch gears for sec and talk about what you need for YOU.

If you’re not “doing good unto yourself” and “loving yourself” and “giving (investing) in yourself“, you’re gonna end up run down, all washed up, and screaming, “I done lost my damn mind!” Or has that happened already?

The holidays can be maddening and filled with so much you are probably doing and planning for everyone else right now. And that’s great. Go on and do that. But please don’t neglect you… EVER! Don’t send yourself to the slaughter just so everyone else can be happy.

Don’t treat yourself like a piece of shitty by refusing to ever make yourself a priority; by refusing to invest in yourself in a way that will make you better and happier and healthier and whole. The refusal to do so is garbage mentality.

I encourage you to commit to the very important gift of continually caring for yourself. In whatever ways you would define it, do good unto YOU, love YOURSELF and INVEST in YOU. This is a gift that doesn’t cost any money and never goes out of style.

Happy holidays, everybody! XOXO

Josie

View the original article here

New Holiday Traditions

I’m not sure if I told you guys, but this is the first Christmas we are celebrating at home with the kids, ever. I’m ecstatic to finally start our own family traditions and Little Guy is too. He’s been talking about waking up in his own house on Christmas morning for weeks now.

Of course I’m all about the food.

So I thought I’d post about what I’m making. It will help me collect my thoughts and hopefully give you some ideas as well.

First up, the COOKIES! Today is baking day. This afternoon I’ll be making…

Molasses Cookie Balls. These are great! No one else suspects they are light in any way, even though they are only about 30 calories a cookie!

Next up are Less-Sugar Sugar Cookies.

I plan on having the dough all ready so Little Guy and I can decorate after school today.

I would make some Not Your Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies but the husband only eats chocolate chip cookies so I’m making regular ones from dough I bought at a school fundraiser.

I’m going protein and veggies all the way…

That’s it! I’m ditching carbs in place of cookies and wine. Isn’t that a good idea. :)

Now, for Christmas day I let the husband pick so guess what we’re having.

Yup.. PASTA! (not sure if you know but my husband is a homemade sauce fiend)

He requested stuffed shells and I thought it was a great idea! I make them lighter, of course. Click here to see a video post where I share my tips. Along side I’m thinking some Italian roasted broccoli. Since I have all the ingredients I may even make a tray of Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash "Lasagna" just for me because I can. :)

That’s it in the food department. I’m trying not to go overboard. The fridge is stocked with lots of veggies and hummus for dipping. I have fruit abound and cheese to a minimum. ;)

In the fun department we will be writing a note to Santa who always writes back. We’ll have stockings…

full of fun and practical things, and Christmas morning will all open our gifts enjoying Cinnamon rolls (see how I still snuck food into the fun stuff. I just can’t help myself!)

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday. I’ll be signing off after tomorrow. I may share one special Holiday Weekend Quote before I head out for my family time, but I’m not making any promises.

Enjoy the end of the year and keep in mind (I’ve said this before) No one will remember how you look or what size jeans you are wearing at Christmas dinner. What they will remember is how you make them feel and the memories you make together.

View the original article here

Greedy Eyeballs That Bulge With Holiday Food Lust

Okay, guys. I admit it. Despite my recent fruit-eating tweet that oozes with healthy pride, I do have one dilemma… kinda.

With all these delectable holiday treats circulating around my house (people come bearing gifts), and at work, and while I’m out & about, I admit that my greedy eyeballs have been bulging with lust to voluntarily overdose on tasty holiday foodstuffs.

So what do I do?

I’ve temporarily re-calculated my moderation ratio ever so slightly. I’m allowing myself a little bit more leeway with these treats, but only until Christmas is over. I’m not going to pass on my favorite holiday treats. I just don’t want to. I have the power to decline, but I don’t feel like it, okay? These foods only come around once per year, and if I don’t take advantage of it now, I’ll have to wait another 12-months for this greedy opportunity to roll around again.

So what else do I do? I’m temporarily increasing my hardcore workout time as well – by about 10-15 minutes.

…and then I’m gonna eat the damn cheesecake square. And the buttery bread, too. Oh, and the lemon bar. But not all at once. That would be ridiculous. I’ll space these feedings 5-minutes apart.

View the original article here

I Was Being Greedy, But Still Lost 2-lbs Over The Holiday. What! How’d That Happen?

In the last 10 days I’ve lost 2 pounds. That’s quite remarkable for this greedy time of year, especially when I confess to you the eating I engaged in leading up to and over the Thanksgiving holiday: There was carbohydrate fanfare (I love me some hot buttery rolls and stuffing), sweet potato pie delirium (I basically ate damn near an entire pie), and excess coffee shop snacking.

It was all very glorious.

My eating was obviously NOT as moderate as planned in these past 10 days, so how the hellz did I manage to drop poundage anyway?

I was actually a little confused at first myself. But then I did a brain re-wind to review not just my greedy eating, but ALL of my eating and ALL of my other actions. Sure, I’ve been a little very greedy lately, but here’s what I was doing the rest of the time:

I Haven’t Missed Any Workouts: I didn’t miss them because I planned them beforehand, even picking out my workout clothes the night before so I’d be ready. I workout 5 times per week for about 45 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down.

I Increased My Fitness-Funk Ratio: I love a good challenge. And a good challenge makes you sweat, causing extra fitness funk to be released (can you smell it?). I’ve been going hard on my workouts. I like it that way. The combination of NOT skipping workouts, plus going hard proved to be effective for continued body transformation over the holiday. Plyometrics and bodyweight exercises are still my workout-beasts of choices, but now I’ve added 10-minutes of speed rope onto the end of EVERY workout. It’s been a real game-changer. Have you been game-changing lately?

I Barely Stopped Moving: My couch-azzing has been very limited lately. Sitting around less, moving around more. You know how that goes. I’ve been so busy lately, but instead of bitching about my busy-ness, I just been busting it out and getting sh!t done. I could have sat around lazy, whining about how it’s not fair I have to do so much, but instead I just buckled down and did what I had to do, which equated to more movement in general, and we all know what more movement leads to: a sexy bod. (uh huh)

I Made Fantastic Choices In-Between the Pie Slices: Salads, healthy homemade soups, lots of water, consistency with the Shakeology, sensible food portions in general… all of this matters. So if you’ve been guilty-greedy, don’t say to “hell with it”, because every food choice you make in-between the greediness is still a step in the right direction.

So there you have it. And this totally supports my motto: Find Balance Between Fitness and Your Greedy Side. Especially around the holidays. What’s your own ninja plan to deal with random splats greediness?

View the original article here

Video: My Ninja Kitchen System Demonstration (+ info on Ninja holiday sale)

Hey guys. Some of you remember when I bought my Ninja Kitchen System, you asked for my opinion on it. Here’s my video demonstration of the Ninja’s cool features (you’ll even see how I whip up my daily Shakeology). Ninja is having a holiday sale right now. Earlier in the year I paid $159.95 + the cost of shipping for my Ninja, but right now it’s on sale for $103.85 with FREE shipping.

Here’s my demonstration video…

I am NOT a Ninja affiliate and I do not gain monetarily by telling you about this deal. I just envy you right now, because you have the chance to snag it for waaay cheaper than I did. This is the only link where I see the sale price. If you go straight to the main web page, you might NOT see the discounted price, so use the sale link. I don’t know how long the sale price is good for, so don’t wait if you’re thinking about getting it for yourself or as a holiday gift. Enjoy!  

View the original article here

Use the Reverse Food Journal to Keep Your Holiday Greedy Eating in Check

It’s barely 9am and the bacon slabs are cooking in the kitchen for the family. But does this mean I gotta eat them with my own breakfast?

Hell naw! The bacon slabs are going on my Reverse Food Journal. But what the heck is THAT?

I hereby authorize you to get a little greedy today. It’s Thanksgiving, after all. But using my Reserve Food Journal system will help you give yourself some credit (a little pat on the back, if you will) for NOT stuffing your stomachs to overfilled capacity. Log the foods you say “no” to and DON’T eat.

Try it today. Those bacon slabs are the first thing on my Reserve Food Journal list. I’d rather save my holiday calorie-fest for sweet potato pie slices.

View the original article here

The Holiday Pep Talk I Needed to Hear

It’s November 1.

There are 23 days until Thanksgiving, 53 days until Christmas and 60 until New Year’s!

Yikes!

Halloween starts the holiday season and if you are anything like me, the next 2 months revolve around food. Oh heck, who am I kidding? My life always revolves around food!

What can I say? I’m an addict.

It starts with Halloween candy and ends with one too many cocktails on New Year’s Eve with pies, cookies, and every carb known to man in the middle. Every year my inner diet perfectionist struggles with the desire to "give up" until I can start fresh come January 1.

I’ve been doing this for 6 years and STILL there’s a tinge of that mentality.

Side note: I looked through my archives and I’ve consistently posted on October 31 since 2005. It blew my mind to go back and read them all…

That’s a lot of Halloweens "I survived" and I needed to see that. It made me realize a few things.

1. It’s so easy to let that old diet perfectionist mindset takeover, especially around the holidays, but I refuse to fall into the cycle ever again. The next two months are no different than any other time of year. I wake up everyday, make conscious choices, move when I can and live life. It’s as simple as that.

2. I saw the best quote a few weeks ago…

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas." ~Author Unknown

3. It’s not the special occasions that keep us from our goals. It’s letting those special occasions convince us it’s ok to simply not try because they are coming.

How ridiculous is that? Let’s call a spade a spade.. It IS ridiculous to binge from now until after the holidays just because they are coming. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they are ALWAYS coming. There is always something happening and you can continue to use these "somethings" as an excuse or you can learn to navigate them.

It’s also ridiculous to eat more candy simply because you already had a piece. Yet my brain still wants to justify choices in that way.

I did something I’ve done for the last 6 years this morning. I woke up and ate a healthy breakfast….

Spinach Omelet Rollup

There was a time I would have starved myself the day after I ate "bad" things which would simply lead to more and more binges. Perpetrating the yo-yo diet cycle.

Then I shifted to "forgiving myself" for eating the "bad" things and made better choices the next day.

Now I know I don’t even have to forgive myself. There’s NOTHING WRONG with eating candy. If I want to lose a few pounds I should keep it to a minimum, of course, but I refuse to put the candy on some kind of bad food pedestal and give it any power beyond "it tasted good and I wanted a piece."

My ultimate goal has always been to make food choices consciously. No auto-pilot binges or excuse driven choices, regardless of the season.

View the original article here

Long Post Holiday Note to Self…

Ok, so you ate WAY too many cookies this weekend. You nibbled a bit too much on chocolate. Yea, you probably didn’t need to go for seconds or grab that third dinner roll. But do you think HE cares? Do you think he’ll remember that you felt fat? That you were disappointed you simply ate WAY too much? I mean really.. you did.. pregnant or not.

He’s not gonna care. You know what he WILL remember?

He’ll remember playing with his cousins…

He’ll remember being the caboose…

He’ll remember playing his first game on the iPad.

(ok.. I do love it even though I still still think it’s totally overrated. ;)

He’ll also remember opening presents for his new baby cousin. He’ll remember feeling his brother moving in Mommy’s belly. He’ll remember spending hours setting up too many Kung Zhu pieces with Daddy. Cuddling with Grandma on the couch. Watching the grinch. Reading the night before Christmas with his cousin. Drinking "wine" and toasting at dinner. Opening presents. Getting that one thing he wanted for Christmas so badly. Giving gifts he helped wrap and pick out.

Overall he’ll Hopefully remember how lucky he is to have such an amazing, loving family. Maybe you should do the same. Maybe you should stop worrying about your weight and body because at the end of the day it simply doesn’t matter.

All you need to do, all you CAN do, is wake up tomorrow and be the best you can be. Stay conscious, stay present, stay healthy and enjoy the little things. I’m pretty sure he’s not worried about how he looks in these glasses and you shouldn’t worry either. Life is simply too short.

View the original article here

Holiday Hiatus

Is it bad that I could have written the same exact post I did last year at this time? Just read it, it’s hysterical. My house looks the same, I’m planning the same conference, maintaining the same blogs and the cat is in the same spot. The only thing that’s different is my hair and the whole full time job thing. Which somehow is making me feel worse. How is it I STILL don’t have TIME? Why am I so overwhelmed?

Sometimes I need to remind myself to… breath. Just breath.

So I’ll be signing off for a few days. I posted a fun Christmas panini on GreenLiteBites today, went through most of my inbox and have one final conference call schedule for tomorrow morning. Then I will be wrapping the rest of the presents and heading to Moms. We still go "home" for the holidays. :)

I was going to try to get one last podcast in but at this point I doubt it will happen. Instead I thought I’d do a sort of rerun. Peering back in time on this week in the past…

View the original article here

Dos and Don’ts of Holiday Drinking from The Biggest Loser Nutritionist

During the festive holiday season, it can be hard to avoid consuming cocktails and wine.  But most cocktails and alcoholic beverages are full of calories and not much else of nutritional value; just a few drinks can break the bank of your calorie budget.

Some of the most traditional beverages are packed with loads of calories and fat. Take good old eggnog: per cup it has a 343 calories and a whopping 19 grams of fat (11 g saturated fat). A Long Island iced tea has 789 calories, and a white Russian has 425 calories. Even a non-alcoholic grande eggnog latte made with nonfat milk at Starbucks is loaded with 450 Calories and 18g of fat (11 g saturated)!

So, how do you make the best of the festivities without completely going overboard or depriving yourself? Here are some dos and don’ts of holiday drinking:

Do drink conservatively. Limit yourself to one or two drinks interspersed with water and healthy nibbles over a period of time.
Do drink a big glass or two of water prior to drinking anything alcoholic. A recent study published in the journal Obesity compared weight loss for two groups of dieters; the group that consumed two cups of water prior to meals dropped more pounds. Water not only makes you feel more full; it provides your body with the hydration it needs for optimum function.
Do choose wine when you drink alcohol. Wine has calories, but no fat – and it contains health-boosting antioxidants. A 4.1-ounce glass of champagne has 78 calories, while a 5-ounce glass of red wine has 127 calories and contains the powerful antioxidant resveratrol. Just make sure you’re drinking a single serving; the large capacity of some wine glasses can hold 12 ounces or more (that's at least 300 calories)!
Do try a wine spritzer (wine mixed with sparkling water) as another festive drinking option. You’ll cut the calories in half and still get some of wine’s beneficial antioxidants.
Do opt for sparkling water or club soda with a slice of lemon or lime if you need to have a drink in hand at the cocktail party. No one will know it’s not a gin and tonic!Do learn how to make allowances for fun indulgences. Just make sure you balance the excess calories with an additional walk or extra time at the gym.
Don’t choose creamy drinks like eggnog or Irish cream liqueurs, which are loaded with calories and fat.
Never drink and drive!

The recipe below is refreshing and festive, perfect for a holiday punch. To make it alcoholic, add 1 ounce of your favorite clear spirit (gin or vodka).

Makes 1 serving

4 ounces lime-flavored
sparkling water, chilled
2 ounces pomegranate juice, chilled
Fresh lime

Pour the sparkling water into a regular drinking glass or a festive champagne glass. Slowly add the pomegranate juice. Garnish with a slice of fresh lime.

View the original article here

Biggest Loser Nutritionist Shares Simple Swaps for Healthy Holiday Parties

Good nutrition isn’t all or nothing – especially during the busy, festive holiday feasting season. Rather than trying to follow a complicated plan to the letter – and giving up when you “blow it” by sampling one too many holiday cookies – make a smart series of small choices. Opt for healthier foods each time, and you’ll make steady progress toward your goals, regardless of the season.

Try these simple swaps to make easy, healthy food choices for holiday parties:

Swap famished for full. Eat a healthy snack before you head to the event to avoid gorging on the goodies. For staying power, snack on both carbs and protein - the combination helps slow the release of blood sugar to maintain steady energy and lengthens the sensation of satiety (a feeling of fullness).
Swap food gifts for flowers. If you bring food as a "hostess gift", it will likely be shared immediately with partygoers, so don’t sabotage yourself by bringing extra temptation in the form of a present. In addition to flowers, calorie-free gift options include gift soap sets, cute cocktail napkins, and wine charms.
Swap chips for veggies. Go ahead and try the dips on the buffet table, but only with raw vegetables. If you're making the dip, serve it not only with sliced celery and carrots, but slivers of jicama root or small bites of broccoli; bake your own chips from tortillas and pitas. Try these recipes:
Swap sides for soup. Broth-based soups are not only flavorful, filling, and comforting on cold nights - they're also potentially packed with nutrients, making them a healthy addition to the dinner party menu or potluck buffet. Soup is easy to make beforehand and reheat at party time - lightening your workload. Try these recipes:
Swap seconds for a conversation. Instead of heading to the buffet table for a second plateful of goodies, sip a glass of water while introducing yourself to a guest you’ve never met. The water will help you feel full, and the pause between platefuls will give your body a chance to register whether you really have room for another slice of pie.
Swap guilt for fresh air. When you mark a party on the calendar, schedule exercise at the same time. A long walk or extended gym workout the day before and after the event will help balance out the extra calories – and by making time to exercise rather than wasting time fretting over what you ate, you’ll reduce holiday stress and get an added energy boost.

View the original article here

This holiday season. And before. And after.

Im ditching the guilt.

JOIN ME?

Oh. And speaking of not feeling guilt….please DONT if you cant spare a minute to help me out.

Im doing a quick survey.

4 questions long short.

IF you have the time.

Click here to take survey

If not, please to carry on with your Friday.

Guilt free.

View the original article here

Holiday Gift Ideas!

There are only 22 shopping days remaining before Christmas. Do you believe it?!? I’m going to be REAL honest.. I haven’t even started. The bug hasn’t bitten quite yet. So feel free to add some of your ideas in the comments. I need them!

You know how much I like to cook! Here are a few things I use regularly that can be great gifts for the kitchen lover in your life. :) P.S. I know it’s expensive but that Scanpan is PHENOMINAL!

If you don’t have a Wii yet it’s such a great family gift. Last year I bought one for my friend’s family and my Mom. It’s a great way to get up and get moving in the living room. Our favorite family game at the moment is Just Dance (Little Man picks the songs) and I LOVE Punch Out. I loved the original when I was a kid and now I get to play it as an adult while burning a ton of calories! Note: There is Just Dance 2
out but I haven’t played it yet so I can’t recommend, although the song list at glance seems cool!

I will forever recommend this running system. For the seasoned or wannabe runner the combination of these three items is killer. I’m not exaggerating when I say I owe a lot of my running success to the Nike+. It gave me loads of motivation to get me started and keep me running that first year.

More repeats from last year but I’m STILL using this same pair of headphones (they’ve been going strong from almost 2 years now!) Great headphones for the price. Little Man and I still much on the fruit leather regularly and you can bet when this baby comes I’ll be enjoying a margarita!

If you are feeling generous this holiday season please support Grace’s Gift. Two years ago we met Grace and her mission to adopt a cottage of kids for the holiday season. Well she’s at it again for a third year and needs our help! Click here to see her donation page.

View the original article here

Ask Roni _v46 – Binge Eating Help, Lowering the Grocery Bill, Feeding the Bottomless Pit, Running and Leg Shape, Holiday Eating

I’m heading out for my husband’s office Holiday Party. So excited! But I couldn’t leave without posting this weeks video podcast!

Topics this week include…

Binge Eating Help/SolutionLowering the Grocery BillFeeding the Bottomless PitChanging the shape of your legs by running?Holiday Eating Advice

Link mentioned…

View the original article here

Biggest Loser Nutritionist Shares Simple Swaps for Healthy Holiday Parties

Good nutrition isn’t all or nothing – especially during the busy, festive holiday feasting season. Rather than trying to follow a complicated plan to the letter – and giving up when you “blow it” by sampling one too many holiday cookies – make a smart series of small choices. Opt for healthier foods each time, and you’ll make steady progress toward your goals, regardless of the season.

Try these simple swaps to make easy, healthy food choices for holiday parties:

Swap famished for full. Eat a healthy snack before you head to the event to avoid gorging on the goodies. For staying power, snack on both carbs and protein - the combination helps slow the release of blood sugar to maintain steady energy and lengthens the sensation of satiety (a feeling of fullness).
Swap food gifts for flowers. If you bring food as a "hostess gift", it will likely be shared immediately with party goers, so don’t sabotage yourself by bringing extra temptation in the form of a present. In addition to flowers, calorie-free gift options include gift soap sets, cute cocktail napkins, and wine charms.
Swap chips for veggies. Go ahead and try the dips on the buffet table, but only with raw vegetables. If you're making the dip, serve it not only with sliced celery and carrots, but slivers of jicama root or small bites of broccoli; bake your own chips from tortillas and pitas. Try these recipes:
Swap sides for soup. Broth-based soups are not only flavorful, filling, and comforting on cold nights - they're also potentially packed with nutrients, making them a healthy addition to the dinner party menu or potluck buffet. Soup is easy to make beforehand and reheat at party time - lightening your workload. Try these recipes:
Swap seconds for a conversation. Instead of heading to the buffet table for a second plateful of goodies, sip a glass of water while introducing yourself to a guest you’ve never met. The water will help you feel full, and the pause between platefuls will give your body a chance to register whether you really have room for another slice of pie.
Swap guilt for fresh air. When you mark a party on the calendar, schedule exercise at the same time. A long walk or extended gym workout the day before and after the event will help balance out the extra calories – and by making time to exercise rather than wasting time fretting over what you ate, you’ll reduce holiday stress and get an added energy boost.

View the original article here

4 tips for fighting holiday frazzle.

Oh people, you know I love me some acronyms. 

Sure, I could give you the boring 1.2.3.4 list, but it’s simply not the way I roll.

My four tips for fighting the frazzle are contained in the acronym E.A.T.S.

E.A.T.S. is the way I mitigate my holiday stress & an easy way for us all to remember— even in the stress of the holiday moment—-four key strategies for success.

I know the vlog is a long one.

Watch it now.

Bookmark it for later.

Pop in yer earbuds and listen when the boss’ back is turned.

Do whatcha gotta do, but take 4 minutes and 35 seconds for yourself as I promise it will pay off in the weeks to come.

This post is brought to you by the fit-minded  Peeps at Sears Fit Club.

A group whom this misfit is now confident shall be E.A.T.S.’ing their way through the holiday season.

Tags: avoiding stress, holiday stress, Sears Fit Club

View the original article here

Holiday Sale: Discount on Double Stomachs Installation

Holiday eating means serious business with the Yum Yucky. We want to empower your stomach to expand to ridiculous proportions to accommodate the food festivities of the season. Forget about those annoying bypasses and say no to liposucking. You can do all that slimmin’ stuff when January comes around. Right now it’s time to go large or go home!

Get your Double Stomachs Install for 1% off when you act right now, so do the math:

Regular price install = $1,995.00Minus 1% discount of $19.95Sale price = $1,975.05

You must act now to take advantage of this deep discount because special pricing won’t last forever. This Holiday Eating Sale also includes bonus gifts:

Two (2) Food Coma CouponsOne (1) “Get Out of Digestive Trouble for Free” card

So don’t you wanna-wanna?

But how does it work?

take your install pill, yo!

The installation takes place in pill-form, based on our proprietary blend of secret and only mildly-toxic ingredients. As you swallow the pill, the double stomach download begins and you are on your way to enjoying the benefits of two stomach chambers for storing tasty holiday foodstuffs.

Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for download errors, including and restricted to vomiting, belly ache, gaseous odors, reflux, paralysis or partial death. You may contact our service desk to get download assistance (for a small fee of $79.95) if any of these events occur.

ALERT! The holiday eating season is just around the corner. You will be large and in charge with your Double Stomachs Install. So like we said…Act Now!

Or, you can just eat sensibly and continue exercising so you don’t gain any weight in this festive season.

[photo 1, photo 2]

View the original article here