November started yesterday...Can you believe it? We are officially starting the holiday season people! I can not believe that this year is only two months away from being over. I mean truly have no idea where the time has gone....With November starting and the time change I think that there are going to be a few adjustments that I need to be making to really end the year well. What does that mean? Well I will tell ya. There are a few things that I do when November hits. First of all, November officially starts the holiday season for me. I really LOVE the holidays and with all the excitement going on around me it can be very easy for me (or anyone for that matter) to fall off the wagon as far as diet and exercise goes. That paired with the time change it can be a disaster for me. I don't know what it is but when it gets dark...I want to get into bed. I am so effected by the weather and time these days. I have a plan this year though and I think that is is going to work VERY well for me...If I can just sick to it. Here are a few things that will help me I think when the going gets tough.
First thing that effects me I feel is not getting the sunshine that I so love during the spring and summer months. I am a LOVER of the sun and warm weather. From March-September I am outside soaking it up every chance that I can get. Unfortunately I am not able to get as much during the Fall and Winter months. So this year I am going to be taking a supplement that I have never taken before. Vitamin D! I went to the store last night and got some vitamin D tablets. I think that this will allow me to get my daily dose of rays without having to try to use my lunch break to sit outside. I do still go on my walks during the day, 3 days a week but I feel like I need Vitamin D every day. This was a good idea on my part! When it gets dark outside I tend to think that it is bedtime. During the cooler months I am not nearly as active as when it is warm and sunny outside. I have a plan for this too! When I get home I am going to make myself be proactive and productive. I plan on going home from work and doing cleaning or going straight to the gym.
The next thing that effects me is the coldness. If there is one thing that almost always makes me eat more it is when it gets cold. You might already know this but warmer foods tend to be higher calorie. During the Spring and Summer I pretty much live off of raw foods. I eat a salad on most days for two meals out of my day. I have a hard time eating anything warm when it is hot out. When it gets cold I want warm comfort foods which equals fatty, bad for you things like hot bread, pasta, rice dishes, casseroles, and cobblers. Yes, I said cobbler. I always want comforting southern food. You throw a holiday in the mix and I am in trouble. This year however I have a few ideas! This year I am going be eating a lot of this.
Low sodium soups are the way to go. I have decided that a hardy soup for dinner will keep me warm and fill me up. This brand is my favorite. What I like about this soup is that it is low sodium, organic and simple. I then add some vegetables, chicken and some spices and I have a BIG hardy bowl of soup for dinner. So smart! I should have thought of this years ago. Imagine has a ton of varieties and they are all wonderful (the ones that I have tried anyway). The other thing that I will be turning to when the going gets tough will be hot teas! There are a million flavors and with so many to choose from I doubt that I will ever get tired of them. With flavors like candy cane, sugar cookie and black chia I will feel like I am cheating without the calories or the guilt! These are also so warm and comforting that it is the perfect "snack" before bed. It totally relaxes me.
The last thing that I want to tackle before I go to my food for the week is the holiday eating. I am just as bad as the next when it comes to wanting the pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, eggnog and bread pudding. I have decided though that this year I am going to only partake in ONE day in November and ONE day in December to have these sweets. You dont have to celebrate for two straight months. I plan on eating the holiday foods this year on the actual holiday. This is a way that I can REALLY enjoy it. If I just let myself eat these things whenever they are in front of me I will take it for granted. This way when I have that slice of pumpkin pie I will really enjoy it. I know that some people will be thinking "Come on...Live a little this is the only time that you can enjoy these things!" Well, you know what? I will (hopefully) have many many Thanksgivings and Christmas's to enjoy the festive foods so why cram it all in one month! This is what will work for me, not necessarily for you. I am just telling you what I have decided.
On to eats for the week! Hold on to your seats ladies and gents, there will be no oats this week. Instead I am trying something new....
Yes, you are seeing correctly. BREAD!
Now I know what you are thinking..."Oh my gosh...Heather is leaving her oats for BREAD?" What in the world? Well, folks I have been a die hard oat bran, oatmeal eater for breakfast for about two and a half years now. I loved it more than any other meal! One thing that I recently noticed was that A: My oat's were tallying up to almost 500 calories for my first meal and I eat 6 meals a day. I eat every two hours so for my first meal to be so much it was causing me to cut back on other meals to make sure that I didn't go over my calories for the day. I could easily make my breakfast a 500-700 calorie meal. B: It was making me STARVING just after a hour. I would eat this HUGE bowl of oats packed with nut butters, banana, almond milk, egg whites, jam's, chia, dried fruits and even protein powder and still I was starving just after I ate it. I decided to try something different over the weekend and boy it made a difference. The out come....300 cals and a full belly for three whole hours. I only ate one slice of Ezekiel sprouted bread with PB2 and half a banana and it kept me full and energized through my workout. I knew right then that I found a new breakfast. This morning I had TWO slices of toast, one with 2 egg whites and one with .25 of a banana and 2 table spoons of PB2. With only 340 cals I am pleased with the outcome. I also get the savory slice and the the sweet slice and that helps with cravings as well! I am not saying that Oats are out of the picture forever but I am enjoying this change.
For my pre workout snack and my second meal of the day I am having
this.Fage greek yogurt topped with raw almonds. I also put some pomegranate seeds on top as well. Oh so good! This is the protein I need to get me through the weight lifting hour that I am doing today.
When I get back it will be lunch time and I will be eating a simple chicken salad. I will be adding some cucumber and chopped tomato to this as
well.This salad looks plain but it is really filling and tastes great to me. I like simple foods so I just go with what I know. I will more than likely eat a raw bell pepper about a hour after this dipped in mustard.
For dinner tonight I am utilizing the soup idea that I have. Tonight is going to be Low Sodium Roasted Red Pepper. I added mixed veggies and steamed chicken to the mix. I topped with some cottage cheese and was amazing. Warm, comforting and filling. Can you ask for more?
Some other snacks that may have been eaten this week are celery and PB2 and a occasional piece of dark chocolate (Even I have to satisfy my sweet tooth!). All in all I think that I am doing right by my diet and really feel that by implementing these few changes I should be able to get through the rest of this year without extra weight. For the first time in years I just may be able to start the new year off with out the resolution of loosing the weight that I put on from November and December. We shall see though.
My question for you today is this:
What are your favorite things to indulge in during the holidays? Do you have a substitute for it?
I hope that you all had a fantastic Halloween...Mine was the best! I should have some pictures very soon! When I get them I will do a recap for you all!
Check out this sweet give-a-way!
http://blueskyworld.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/sodastream-giveaway/#comment-4243
