Monday, December 13, 2010

Holidays and bad eating habits

Its no surprise of the downfalls in the healthy food category during the holidays. Its a fit girl's worst nightmare! And unless you want to be "that girl" who is making everyone feel guilty for indulging, you need to eat too! :) So this holiday I have been really trying hard to balance the bad eating with lots of gym time!:) It is so nice to go home and have my sis as a gym partner (she is a lifetime fitness member too!) Make sure you are balancing the thousands more calories you intake in this 'hard to say no' time of year. These two months can add quite a few pounds if your not careful. I know for me, its not worth it to have to backtrack just to have a few rounds of turkey and pie! Another great fun family thing to do is some kind of fun run..
Me, my sis, and her boyfriend did the Turkey Trot 5 K in Houston. We circled back around to walk with my mom for the family mile. It was so nice having a family outing and getting a morning work out in on Thanksgiving with all the calories we consumed that afternoon at my dad's.
Here are some pics from the event!!
My sis and I


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My sis and her boyfriend:)

Me and my sweet Momma

I love how great it was to do this together. We did it two years ago and this time the weather coperated alot more. However, my feelings of running and the last time we had a fling all came back.... and it wasn't pretty. The gym is my addiction and as well as boot camp-esqe classes and that is okay for me. Tried the outdoor running thing and it still isn't sticking- thats what happened when you grow up as a gym (bball) athelete. 

Back to holidays, http://www.thedietchannel.com/10-high-calorie-holiday-foods has a great article that really had alot of great tips and foods to stay away from. Here it is:

10 high-calorie holiday foods

1.   Turkey- Dark Meat and Skin - moist due to fat content

The moist texture of a turkey's dark meat and the intense flavor of its skin are due to the high fat content in both. Just 4 ounces of dark meat turkey with some skin provides 250 calories and 13 grams of fat, while 4 ounces of white meat without skin only has 150 calories and 1 gram of fat.

2.   Mashed potatoes can be loaded with fat

Despite the claims of low-carb dieters everywhere, potatoes are not the enemy. Standing alone, potatoes are actually a low calorie, fat-free food. However, traditional holiday mashed potato recipes call for generous amounts of butter, cream, and sometimes even cheese. Loaded up with these heavy ingredients, mashed potatoes can reach a whopping 470 calories per 1-cup serving.

3.   Gravy made with fat drippings increases your calorie intake

As if the mashed potatoes and turkey didn't do enough damage, we often like to top it all with gravy made from the bird's fat drippings. Pour ¾ cup of gravy over your plate, and you'll add 375 calories.

4.   Candied sweet potatoes equal a high-calorie sweet

Sweet potatoes are an extremely nutritious vegetable that needs very little interference to make it taste heavenly. But the tradition of candying sweet potatoes, which means adding brown sugar and butter, turns this nutritious treat into a high-calorie sweet. And when we top it with marshmallows, we increase the calories to an incredible 400 calories from just a ¾ cup serving!

5.   Stuffing - absorbs the fat

Traditionally, stuffing is cooked inside the turkey where it absorbs much of the fat from the bird. Whether made from corn bread or white bread, it often contains high-fat ingredients such as butter, sausage, and nuts, averaging about 340 calories per 1 cup serving.

6.   3 potato latkes can be as much as 400 calories!

A traditional Hanukkah dish, potato latkes are patties of shredded potato held together with matzo and egg that is fried in a generous amount of oil. They are often served with applesauce and/or sour cream. Three latkes with 1 tablespoon of sour cream on each pack over 400 calories.

7.   Eggnog - not good for weight nor your arteries

This rich and creamy holiday drink is not for the weak of heart. At 350 calories and 19 grams of fat (11 of which are saturated) per 8-ounce serving, over-consumption of this holiday treat packs on pounds and clogs arteries.

8.   Prime Rib - the prime means fat!

While ham is a more traditional choice for a holiday dinner, those opting for something more upscale may choose prime rib. Unfortunately, this cut of meat is called "prime" because it contains 35-45% fat, which is the highest of all cuts. A 4-ounce serving of prime rib contains about 425 calories. But let's face it - nobody eats 4 ounces of this succulent cut of meat. A more common serving size is at least 8 ounces, which delivers a hefty 850 calories.

9.   Peanut brittle in moderation to avoid weight gain

While peanuts contain good fat, they are high in calories and should be consumed in moderation. Add butter and corn syrup (sugar) to peanuts and you have peanut brittle, which packs 485 calories into a 3.5 ounce serving.
10.   Pecan pie - a generous serving can be 800 calories!
Same story as the peanut brittle with the addition of a flaky, buttery crust. A generous serving of pecan pie can top out at 800 calories!

Minimizing the holiday food damage

Indulging in even moderate quantities of these high-calorie foods regularly throughout the holiday season can wreak havoc on your waistline. Of course it is possible to purchase or prepare healthier versions of the above foods, but you may not be involved in their preparation. Even if your host doesn't take any calorie-cutting measures, just being aware of the dishes that are highest in fat and calories will help you make better choices and eat smaller quantities.

Four tips to keeping calorie intake down at the holiday table

To make sure you do not go overboard, first pick your favorites and skip anything that does not look amazing. There are always too many options-you do not have to eat one of everything.
Second, take smaller portions than you are used to since these are rich foods and it will certainly not take much to fill you up.
Third, limit yourself to one helping. If you are tempted to go back for more, wait 20 minutes, by which time you will probably feel too full.
Finally, eat slowly and savor every bite. The holidays are a time of feasting and celebrating, and you should be able to enjoy some special treats with your friends and family. Just enjoy them mindfully.

This summer I read Bethenny Frankel's book this summer and something HUGE that stuck out to me was "Taste everything, eat nothing." The concept is taste and don't clean the plate full of it. If you like mac and cheese, don't eat a whole bowl (can't say I am not guilty of this) but just take a few bites so you don't feel deprived. I am actually really going to try this thought this second holiday around. Let ya know how that goes.

I also read on Web MD that overeating in the holidays tends to lean sometimes to the emotional. This surprised me but doesn't ring far from how stressful the holidays seem to get. If food is connected to the emotional portion in your life, the holidays could trigger these emotions again to eat. They say to be ready for temptation and make a plan. They suggested a kind of funny sounding thing to do but it might work, and that is to make the reasons you want to stay thin and why you want to loose weight and rehearse those in the morning. Kind of like a pep talk. Hey, maybe even posting a picture of your fave fit celeberity! The visual seems to help me! Mine is def Giselle Bundchen!!
Keep on working out.... and enjoy how great your body will look even after the holidays!!! Stay active and happy work outs....

Lisa


Friday, December 10, 2010

HOlidays....MaKe suRe yOu KeeP on WorkInG ouT...

Its that time of the year, starting in November, where ALOT of guilt sets in due to massive amounts of food. The overload is ridiculous, and unless you don't want to be "that" girl who isn't participating b/c she wants to be the skinny one, then you must eat. So yes, this is the time where you eat. Working out alleviates that guilt a little bit. Going hard and not going home! If you half way do it in the gym... then expect half way results by the end of Holiday season. Hit up some interval training and weights to keep yourself burning calories all day. Make sure you are eating good on the "off"days when you aren't around a practical buffet. Its real hard being a kindergarten teacher, constant sweets, cupcakes, and "Oh Miss Martinez here is your Christmas present." chocolate. Its tough, but don't undo all the work you have done.... You can Do IT!!!!:) Happy work outs.
Turkey day Dash pics coming soon... when I get back to Dallas from my weekend trip home.... :)