From Your Eyes to Your Thighs

Several years ago my friend and colleague Dr. Christopher Vogelmann – a chiropractor from the DC area – and I were jokingly (as we often do) discussingHoliday indulging. We were specifically speaking about Eggnog and agreed that this beverage’s key result is that the more you drink the more it will go “from your eyes to your thighs”.

Yes, no getting around it – this festive drink is highly caloric and potentially “dangerous” for any efforts of getting and staying in your Skinny Jeans. Which led me to think what else causes this during the soon to be Holiday Season?

Well most of the foods and drinks offered at this time of year fall in the same bottomless pit of regret and January redemption. So to avoid the possibly inevitable – this article will offer you some solution.

Here Are Your 5 Tips for Keeping It Off Your Thighs:

Tip #1  Eliminate the Temptation: Don’t start, be honest with yourself and remove the temptations from the premises.  It’s not only the candy bar or pumpkin pie, if nuts or cheese is your downfall avoid them, as well.  Keep them out of your house.  If a family member happens to love their crackers or ice cream enroll them in a healthier way of eating even if they don’t struggle with their weight.  Staying off these low nutrients types of foods is really good idea for everyone.

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Tip #2  Keep Your Friends Close: Those friends I am referring to are the people in your life who support you in all and any of your efforts to stay lean and healthy. However, I am including in this friend category the actual foods that should be your best friends as well. These food friends are specifically vegetables, lean protein and quality fats. These friends are trustworthy, reliable and will always help you keep your thighs, tummy and everything trim on your body.

Tip#3  Beware of those EXTRA Non-Nutritious Calories: They add up oh so easily.  Think of a bank account – you spend a few dollars on this, $20 on that and $76 on something else and all of sudden you’ve blown your budget for the week.  Your food choices are kind of like that, too.  These little noshes here and there – at the family get together, while driving, while passing the candy dish at work. They all add up and can be astonishing if you were to calculate your nibbles. Or how about the chips and salsa – don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll ONLY have one – you know where that will lead you? With holiday eating save yourself for the best indulgence – real, wholesome, nutritious food. These foods will give you more bang for buck and keep you healthy throughout the good and hectic times ahead.

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Tip#4 Keep Your Cool: Maintain control.  You do in other parts of your life don’t you why not with your food?  If you are normally a pretty balanced person, however find yourself being stretched emotionally at work or in your personal life by some challenge. Taking a cooling off period versus engaging, which may take you in the direction you don’t want to be going, is a healthy thing to do. Give yourself a time out for a couple of hours a few days before making a decision and definitely don’t berate yourself – ever! Keep your cool, your control and your commitment to yourself to be good to yourself.

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Tip #5 Small Bites, Please: If you must try the “forbidden” food – go ahead and simply do it and then move on.  You might want to change the thought that you “can’t” have something because it’s “not on your diet”.  This type of restrictive thinking will only make you want it more, it’ll make you feel joyless and you’ll probably go over the edge and have a lot more of it!  Better to allow yourself a “food experiment” every once in awhile – trying the food will help you to satisfy your curiosity. So go ahead and have it. Feeling deprived and rebellious will make you overdo the forbidden food filling you with regret and a few extra lbs. Just take a few small bites and then be done with it.

If unhealthy foods are not around you won’t see them and you’ll be more likely keep your  thighs and belly healthy and lean all year long.

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