‘Tis the Season

on Nov 09 in Featured Articles by

Ah, the fat months have arrived! Go ahead and loosen your belts in preparation. Or maybe not…

The average amount of weight gain from the months of October to January is an astonishing 7-15 pounds! Researchers found that the extra weight is stubborn—still present a year later on 85% of study participants.

Gaining additional pounds each year add up significantly and remember, once a fat cell, always a fat cell!

I’d like to think that we all view holidays as a way to bring family and friends together and as a time dedicated to show our sincere thanks for all the good in our lives.  But who am I kidding? Out of 100 people polled, 89% of them said it’s about the food. Huge, massive, king-size portions of delicious, sinfully-wonderful, food we yearn for all year long.  In fact, the average person consumes somewhere around 4500 calories and 229g of fat in one sitting alone!
Within the first 5 minutes of your all-out meal, your taste buds begin firing off “more, more, more!” signals from cloud-9 to your brain.  After about 15 minutes, both your stomach and small intestine begin to alert your brain that you’re full, but 9 times out of 10 you’ve already helped yourself to seconds before your brain ever gets the memo.  Big decisions ahead; cheese cake or pumpkin pie?  You end up with both and almost instantly your insulin levels spike in attempt to control the ungodly amount of sugar swimming throughout your bloodstream.  Tired?  Don’t even try to blame it on the Turkey!  Although it contains a natural sedative called Tryptophan, the chemical doesn’t have an effect because of everything else you consumed right along with it! That “food coma” you experience is the pure result of your digestive system working overtime! At this point your stomach is stretched like an over-stuffed balloon and is pushing against surrounding organs and without question, leaving you questioning, “Why did I do that?”  Chances are, you have consumed two to three times what your body needs for energy, leaving the rest to be converted into fat and stored away nicely somewhere along your hips, thighs, belly or butt.

Avoid a complete diet disaster by following a few of my favorite tips:

• Avoid the “empty” calories.  You know them, the kind of calories which your body reaps ZERO reward.  Alcohol, condiments, sugary sodas, juices, gravies and all the extra fixings & fillings.  Your body gets nothing from them and if the calories aren’t burned, they are converted to fat and stored as layaway.
• Set realistic goals. At a holiday dinner or party, indulge in some goodies, but eat small portions. Moderation is key.  If you are going to have pie, have a slice, just not the whole pie.  Same rule applies for the bottle of champagne!
• Drink lots of water.  Not only does water help with appetite cessation but it also increases your metabolic rate!  Aim for 96+ oz daily.
• Never arrive hungry!  Always feed yourself about an hour before any holiday party.  You’ll be less likely to fill up on sweets and high-calorie appetizers.
• Bring fat-free or low-fat dishes to parties. Encourage others to do the same.
• Stick with your current exercise program! It will help you maintain your weight, boost your energy and provide an avenue to escape the holiday stress.
• Try revamping some of your traditional Recipes – Swap out sugar for Splenda, (saving 750 calories) replace white flour with wheat or even oat flour.  Cook with skim milk rather than whole and I promise your potatoes will be just as creamy!  Replace eggs with an egg substitute to save yourself almost 100 calories and 250mg of cholesterol.  No more cream-a-mushrooms or cream-a-anything!  Greek yogurt is your healthy alternative for this and to replace store bought dips!
• Hop right back on the wagon. Start your healthy eating habits right where you left off!

Green Beans with Creamy Mushrooms & Shallots

Time to prepare: 20 minutes
Serves 8
This twist on the standard green bean casserole is elevated to cream, delicious heights, thanks to thick low-fat Greek Yogurt

• 1 ¾ lbs. green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (1/2c)
• ¾ low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 8 oz. Cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced approx. 1/8” thick
• 1/3 c 2% (or for an even light version go 0%) Greek yogurt
• S&P to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Blanch beans until tender, about 6-9 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 ½ tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to turn brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
3. Whisk together the stock and cornstarch.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over high heat.  Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes.  Whisk in the stock mixture.  Cook until thick, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.
4. Stir in yogurt and ½ tsp. of salt; season with pepper.  Toss in beans.  Serve warm
95 calories per serving, 1g saturated fat, 2g unsaturated fat, 1mg cholesterol, 14g carbohydrate, 86mg sodium, 5g protein, 3g fiber

‘Tis the season or not, keep your belts right where they are!  Be mindful of your choices and remember, even the smallest improvements make a big difference!  Make healthy fun and a part of your forever lifestyle.
Happy Holiday’s Fit Friends, keep it moving!

By Christy Allen, CPT
www.blueprintbodydesigns.com
www.facebook.com/getfitwithchristy

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