Don’t Break the Belt… Over the Holidays!

One day a few years ago I woke up and took a reality pill. That pill was a big dose of “I will never be 18 or have an 18 year old body again!” And, I’m ok with that, I am 40 after all! I’m willing to be about 15 pounds heavier than I was in high school so that I can enjoy life.

In the last year I’ve noticed that I have more and more trouble losing weight. Back in 1998, I lost 30 pounds doing Weight Watchers (WW). Until this past year, I maintained that loss. My strategy has always been to revitalize my WW diet when I gain five to seven pounds until I get back down to my “normal” weight. Normal for me is NOT skinny. I like to eat and I especially LOVE my WINE!

Now, I am seven pounds heavier than I would like to be (at least) and my attempts to shed the weight for the last eight months or so have been nothing short of frustrating and unsuccessful. To top it all off, the holidays are approaching. I’m not a masochist and I’m NOT going to diet over the holidays! It’s unrealistic for me and frankly, it kind of takes the fun out of the holidays. So, I’ve devised some strategies just to avoid gaining another five pounds!

First, if I have to bake anything, I will eat a healthy meal or snack before I start. I know I will be snacking my way through the cookie dough bowl, if I’m at all hungry. Second, any resulting baked goods will be taken away from the house or put in the freezer ASAP. I’m less tempted this way. When I’m done baking, provided it’s socially acceptable, I will indulge in a reasonable portion of goodies by applying Jennifer Moore’s  Mindful Eating techniques. I will "make time for it. “ I will “set aside ten minutes to truly experience my treat.” I will get a napkin, get a beverage, and sit down.” I will not multitask while I’m enjoying!

My second potential problem lies in parties. Again, I’m simply NOT going to a party and skipping the delicious things my host has made in the fruitless attempt to save a pound. I’ll worry about it after the first of the year. However, that said, I realize I don’t need to overdo it and there are a couple of things I can do to prep for an evening of fun. I’ll start off with a filling breakfast. This will probably include my six point (WW) breakfast burrito - one egg and one egg white, a vegetarian sausage patty, 1/8 of a cup of cheese, salsa and adobo seasoning on a two point tortilla - and a banana. I know from experience that that will keep me full for awhile. At some point during the day, for lunch or just before I go to the party, I’ll have a big salad with lots of veggies and a light salad dressing or a bowl of my Dad’s award winning chili (see recipe below), which is about two WW points per cup. Then, when I get to the party, I’ll eat, drink and be merry knowing I didn’t completely throw in the towel!

My Dad’s Chili (which always gets GREAT REVIEWS, by the way!)
2 15 oz cans dark kidney beans
2 large onions chopped (I usually cook them down before throwing them in the pot)
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp salt
2 packages of Smart Ground (my dad uses ground turkey or lean ground beef)
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can water

I mix it all in the crockpot and let it cook all day, but you can also put it in a large pot and cook it on the stove. This also freezes well, so I recommend doubling the recipe and eating it when you want something light and filling.