Happy Saturday! How did everything go with making a few more meals at home or bringing in more lunches to work this week? I actually didn't eat out for a single meal all week and I don't even feel deprived, imagine that... :) As I've said before, once you find some really great recipes to make at home and use wonderful fresh food to make them with, it's a much more amazing palate experience dining at home!Alright... on to the challenge for Christmas week! We all probably have a pretty good idea of what the next week will look like. Mine will probably be filled with all kinds of tempting goodies and not nearly enough movement going. In looking ahead and developing a plan, I'm going to get a game of volleyball going the day after Christmas! And as far as the treats go, I'm going to propose the challenge of trying out JJ Virgin's strategy of the "3 polite bite rule."
The point is to not deprive yourself of the goodies but without going into the bingeing zone of self sabotage. When you come across the dessert table that is overflowing with options, stop and take the time to really examine everything that's there. Take a nice long look and evaluate which treats are really "worth" it to you. For me, brownies or cookies purchased from the store are definitely not worth it. I really don't like them and they're not worth the bloating and belly rumbling that follows their consumption. :) Once you decide on the treat you want to try, take 3 polite bites of the food, bites you would take if someone were filming you for a commercial. Take them slowly, really enjoy them, and then walk away & go do something else since the holidays are about spending quality time with family & friends!
It's a brief clip but JJ Virgin talks about the importance of being friends with your food and really enjoying what you're eating. She also points out the fact that we really just want the flavor of the food and certainly don't need all of the calories that come along with indulgences. I definitely think that there is an art to sensible indulgences and so be patient with yourself as you're trying this trick out. It will take time and sufficient practice, so what better time than this week, right?
I'm still working on this one too but I'm up for the challenge and special focus on it this week! Stay tuned for some more tips on Monday to help keep off some of the extra holiday pounds! Do you already know what will be your sensible indulgence over the Christmas holiday?
