Holiday Survival Guide

The end of the year can be the hardest time for those of us trying to lose weight on the Be Well 365 plan. We’ve put in months of hard work, but it’s about to be tested by big, carb-laden holiday dinners and busy schedules that make exercise hard to fit in. During the holiday season, be gentle with yourself. Focus on maintaining the progress you’ve made so far so that you can hit the ground running in 2017! If you focus on enjoying the holiday without losing your hard work, you’ll be ready for the new year. To help you out, we’ve developed these rules of survival for the Holiday.

1. Make plenty of veggie and protein appetizers!
   If you load up on healthy, filling fiber before the meal, you’ll be less likely to splurge. Some good ideas include cherry tomatoes, celery and deviled eggs.
2. Aim for a protein and veggie mix in your holiday stuffings.
   These don’t have to be bread! A great recipe for low-carb stuffing can be found here on the Be Well site.

1. Take a nice walk before the holiday meal is served.
   This will encourage your metabolism to get to work before you even begin eating. If you want to walk off your meal afterward, wait a few hours for your body to adjust and let you burn those calories more effectively.
2. Remember, it takes 20 minutes for your body to register that you’ve eaten.
   If you think you want seconds, wait for a while. Then, if you still feel hungry, take half as much as you think you want – our eyes are often bigger than our stomachs, and we feel pressured to finish a full plate even when we’re not hungry!
3. Offer to make a traditionally unhealthy dish,
   and make it protein-filled with a Be Well replacement! You can make our crustless cheescake, our low-carb pumpkin or praline pie, our cauliflower mashed potatoes or our healthy green bean casserole alternative.
4. Use turkey and ham leftovers to your advantage!
   Turkey sandwiches make a great, high protein lunch throughout the week. Take home other high-protein, low-carb leftovers to keep yourself on track – leave the mashed potatoes and the cranberry sauce so the temptation isn’t there.
5. Quench your thirst with water instead of alcohol.
   During the holidays, celebrating can feel synonymous to drinking. If you’re teetotaling to reduce calories, carry around some sparkling water. No one will know the difference between your drink and a gin & tonic, and you’ll avoid peer pressure from those trying to get you in the holiday mood.
6. Do gentle exercises while you wrap presents.
   For every present you wrap, do ten deep waist bends while flexing your core. After three sets of these, switch to some easy bicep curls – you can use a sturdy present if you wish! Not only will this help you burn some calories before the holiday, it will break up the monotony of wrapping presents.
7. Don’t be hard on yourself if you do mess up.
   The holidays are meant to be an enjoyable time with friends and family. Focus on maintaining your weight, instead of putting lots of pressure on yourself to lose pounds over Christmas. Enjoy time with friends and family – that’s what the holiday is all about!
8. Call Be Well 365 and get your Party Pack before the holiday!
   Our secret holiday special will help you overcome any holiday “indiscretions” and lessen the impact on your weight loss.

At Be Well 365, it’s not about what you can’t eat this holiday season – it’s about enjoying all the foods you can have, and spending time with friends and loved ones without stressing about weight loss! Call us for your party pack, and have a wonderful holiday.

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