Every year at this time people watching their weight and trying to stay fit start to panic. I've begun to get those emails saying 'I really blew it on Thanksgiving and I don't want the holidays to be a total disaster". Most people ask me "what do you do to stay on track?

A. Unfortunately there's no one-size-fits-all, silver bullet solution.

But for me, the trick is moderating my moderation. I'm already eating healthy moderate meals and exercising regularly.

So the key for me is not to try to treat a holiday, like any other day.

All my favorite stuff will be there and everyone will be encouraging me to eat it. I'll have to try my sister-in-law's new pie recipe, and I'll be asked to taste that great stuffing. The thought of it makes me not want to eat for a week beforehand, or at least all day that day. Bad idea.

Rather than skip meals I eat a low calorie, high-energy-delivery breakfast, and a next-to-no-calorie, but filling, lunch like a veggie salad. So when dinnertime comes, I'm not starving and I can remember that I can taste everything and get plenty full just tasting. Every time I've come to a holiday dinner too hungry I forget how pleasantly full I get, just tasting and I end up uncomfortably full, and angry with myself.

I'll probably eat more calories than normal that day, but it'll only be a million not a gazillion.

Test my food moderation technique on a day when you know you're going out to dinner and see if it works for you. If you like it, give it a shot on a holiday.

Of course there's more to fitness and weight management than just food.

I'll be traveling for the holidays and we all know how convenient it is to exercise when we're traveling. 

Well, this year I'm going to have a better plan. I booked a flight that leaves an hour later, so I can exercise at home in the morning. And I'm going to try to stick to my normal exercise schedule when I get there. That'll be tough enough with all the distractions. I know I won't have time for extra exercise. But even if my schedule gets really full, I'm determined to do at least a half hour of moderate exercise a day. And this year I'm bringing an exercise band and a video along with my sneakers and sweats. It snowed last year and my sneakers and sweats sat idle.

So that's what I'm doing. It's not rocket science but it is science. And if I can stick to it it'll work for me.


If you formulate a similar moderation plan of your own, I'll bet you'll have more fun, get to taste everything and maybe not gain a pound. Happy Holidays!

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