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‘Tis the season to unbutton that jacket and breathe… How did this happen, we promised ourselves- last year- that things would be different this year. We were going to be healthy, make better decisions and not gain a pound. STOP….rewind. Before you go into guilt mode, know that you can make a difference right now- it is never too late.

This year, arm yourself with solid information and make decisions based on facts not emotions. This is a season filled with festivities, and in every culture- food and drink are main events. You already know the drill- if you eat more you need to expend energy (exercise) in order to avoid weight gain. One misconception  that must be debunked is…

• Starving yourself all day so that you can eat lots later, is ok.  This is hard on every organ of your body.Your body is really a cleaver machine. It works without us even being aware of what it is doing. Efficiency never works on an all or none senario. Jambing a paper shredder with more paper than it can hold does not make the shredder work better- even if you haven’t shredded anything all day. The body simply works best when it has fuel in small amounts regularly.When you anticipate a calorie rich event, eat small but regular amounts throughout the day to keep your metabolism up and ready for action.

Instead, of the all or none approach this season try the following:

• Stay well hydrated – drink more water every day. Our winter is drying as it is and alcohol tends to dehydrate the body, so drink before, during and after feastivites. The bonus is it will help you feel full.
• Enjoy the foods that are traditional favourites- but pace yourself. The body does better with calories spread out rather than consumed quickly.
• Rather than filling your plate to the brim- choose what you really want and keep the amounts down so you can enjoy a little of everything.
• Measuring tips on the run- the palm of your hand is a suitable serving of meat, your fist is like a cup and your thumb is a tablespoon- so easy no scales!!
• Up your activity- within your reasonable limits. The gyms are crazy busy in the New Year, but you can simply start walking more now. Worried about ice- walk up the stairs in your office building – or at least down them…there is always the indoor malls- no excuses!
• Taste and enjoy each food  and beverage your tasting- No guilt- just savour the moment. This will allow you to appreciate the flavours you love while slowing down your intake…you will be in control and that is the key!