Hey, there!

It's that time of year! What time you say? It's the time for for parties, family dinners, and all kinds of goodies and stuf around the house. This means it is a recipe for disaster, and if you’re not careful, it could reverse your fat loss results quicker than you can say Happy Holidays!

I’d like to make it easy for you to stay on track with your healthy eating, even while being tempted by all kinds of holiday foods during this festive time of year, so keep reading for 5 tips to make it thru the holidays…

#1: Don’t Eat Anything Fried

Fried food is loaded with fat and calories while offering zero nutritional value. It’s a lose-lose! Sure, fries and chips TASTE good, but healthier items also taste good. Just say no to the deep-fried items on the menu. You’ll be leaner, healthier and you won’t have no greasy fingers.

Here’s a healthier alternative to frying foods… Use a broiler

If you must have French fries, make them at home in your oven (that's what my wife does). Use sweet potatoes, as these are a more complex carbohydrate. Cut into matchsticks, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt, then place in your oven on broil. Mix every 5 minutes until the fries are tender and crispy on the outside.

#2: Don’t Eat White Bread   

White bread products have zero nutritional value and are quickly converted by your body into sugar. So, you really may as well eat a cupcake. Even breads that are technically wheat but are as soft and smooth as white bread should be avoided. Don’t be afraid to discard the bread from your sandwich or not take that bread from the bread basket. Your waist will shrink and you’ll lose that bloated feeling that high-carbohydrate meals give you.

Here’s a healthier alternative to white bread… Enjoy Sprouted Grain Bread

If you must have bread, then stick with sprouted. Sprouted grain bread is a lot easier on your digestion and is packed full of nutrients. Sprouted grain breads are often kept in the freezer section since they don’t contain preservatives to prolong shelf life.

#3: Don’t Eat Creamy Dressings

You were so good to order a salad, but then it gets mess up by drenching the salad in fattening creamy dressing. Just a few tablespoons of creamy dressing contain more than 20 grams of fat and hundreds of calories. Same goes for pasta dishes – avoid the ones with creamy, heavy sauces, as these are simply loaded with extra fat and calories.

Here’s a healthier alternative to creamy dressings… Vinegar Dressing and Red Sauce

Dressing and sauce are meant to lend flavor to salad and noodles, not fat and calories. Vinegar-based dressings pack amazing flavor in with minimal fat and calories. You can even mack your own dressing at home. Take high quality vinegar, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, your choice of dried herbs, and a bit of olive oil.

#4: Don’t Drink Sweet Beverages

‘Tis the season for sugary beverages like eggnog, sweet cocktails, and hot cocoa (I know we all like some hot cocoa). But just like white bread, these sugary drinks have zero nutritional value – other than calories. The sheer number of sugar grams in one of these drinks is usually the same as dessert! So before you indulge in a sweet drink, consider changing your order to something less sweet, or count it as your dessert.

Here’s a healthier alternative to sweet beverages… sweeten with liquid stevia

Carry a small bottle of water-based, liquid stevia and use a little squirt to sweeten your beverage of choice this holiday season without adding any grams of sugar. If possible, ask for your beverage to be made without sugar, and then sweeten it yourself without any repercussions to your fitness results.

#5: Don’t Overindulge on Sugar

Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the epitome of anti-fitness food. Nothing will destroy your progress, expand your waist and plummet your energy levels like sugar will. If you only take away one tip from this article, please let it be to not overindulge on sugar! The holidays are full of sugary treats, so you must make a conscious effort to keep your intake under control.

Here’s a healthier alternative to sweet beverages… enjoy some fruit

Don’t turn to artificial sweeteners to get your sweet fix, instead, turn to nature’s wholesome source of sugar: fruit. Eat organic fruit that is seasonal and locally grown. Stay away from dried fruit and fruit juices, as these are high in simple calories.

Eating right, along with challenging exercise, is the formula for a toned, lean body. Guarantee your results by teaming up with me.

Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and helps you achieve your goals.

Call or email today to get started!

Committed to Your Fitness Success, 

Sidney L. West

614-286-9726