YES! By Dee Wolk, Founder Great tips for scaling down and being prepared this holiday season You can eat, have fun and avoid weight gain during the holidays! H olidays can be a torturous time for those of you who are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Pumpkin pies, cakes, fudge, etc. are tempting delights that seem to call out your name (how do they know me?). But the holidays don’t have to be torturous or tempting. You can enjoy food and drink during all of the festivities and still stay on your health track. Let’s first put things into perspective. Through my research, I learned there are approximately 55 celebrations per individual, per year. Yes 55! These include religious holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, national holidays, etc. Holidays and celebrations are ALWAYS just around the corner. So I say, “What’s the big deal? It’s just another day dealing with food.” You can alleviate a lot of stress and guilt when it comes to those extra holiday goodies by staying in present time with yourself. Don’t feel that you will automatically binge this year just because this has been your pattern in the past. Moderation in eating should be your focus when it comes to holiday eating. You then can win the battle over holiday weight gain. Emotional hunger is as real as physical hunger, but it can only be satisfied by an appropriate emotional response. What often happens when we overeat is that we are feeding food to our feelings. Food is the appropriate fuel for physical hunger. However, eating when you are stressed will result in weight gain and weight gain will make you even more stressed. Stop this cycle in your life and listen to your feelings. What is it that your body and mind are REALLY asking for in that moment? For example, if you are tired, get some rest. If you are lonely, call a friend. If you feel edgy, go for a walk. When you give your body and your mind what THEY need, the result is a healthier, happier you. Remember, if you eat when you are physically hungry, you burn it. If you eat when you are emotionally hungry, you wear it. What have you got to lose…except weight? So, how can you win the battle over holiday weight gain? Think about this for a moment… If food were the only thing that made us fat, everyone who put Conclusion food in his or her mouth would Emphasize the festivities. De-em- be overweight. We know that is not the case. Food does not phasize the food. Concentrate on make you fat…your relationship the celebration and joy of sharing with food is what creates excess with others. Talk, laugh and have weight. It’s all “between your fun. Enjoy the occasion more than ears,” not on the food table. The the food. beauty of that? YOU have control over that. We are not born winThink positively about how you ners and we are not born losers. want to behave in relation to We are all born choosers. You holiday eating. Then affirm and can choose how to live and how resolve not to overeat. Reassure to eat. yourself that you can have fun My wish for all of you for this without overeating. holiday and all of your celebrations is to make life your only Be powerful, by staying in the present time with yourself. Just binge. because you have binged in the past, it doesn't mean this has to Dee Wolk is founder and creator be your pattern this year. of No Diet Weight Solution®, COPYRIGHT© 2008. For more Take smaller portions. Holiday information, visit time means special food. Let www.nodietweightsolution.com yourself enjoy little tastes. This However, eating when you are stressed will result in weight gain and weight gain will make you even more stressed. Stop this cycle in your life and listen to your feelings. allows you to taste everything, without risking getting stuffed. Practice polite ways to decline more food if you feel you have had enough. 20 Beachwood Buzz n December 2014