How to Minimize the Christmas Dietary Damage

If you're situation is anything like mine, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will bring with it several dietary challenges for those looking to maintain a healthy nutrition plan.  My advise:  don't worry about it.  It's one weekend so enjoy it.  Forget "paleo", forget "Zone" and just enjoy yourself.

That doesn't mean that I recommend an all out binge, either.  Believe me, I've done it and it isn't worth the feeling of sickness, the guilt afterward, and weeks of hard work to recover.  But I do think you can get through the holiday weekend relaxed and able to enjoy a little of everything by follow a few rules Martin Berkhan of Leangains.com suggests.  They are:

1. Don't Stress Over it:  Some people forget to enjoy themselves and stress hormones aren't good for your health or your waistline.
2. Create a Calorie Buffer:  The day leading up to Christmas dinner, eat mostly protein and in small amounts, so the calories you consume at the feast don't put you so far over your optimal daily caloric range.
3. Protein Priority:  Protein is the most satiating of all the macronutrients while also being the least calorie dense.  So when the big meal starts, eat your protein first and don't skimp on it.  Eat your veggies next, and then look at starches like potatoes, breads, etc.  Then then sweets will be filler at the end.  Fill up with good stuff so you don't hit the dessert table on an empty stomach.
4. Limit Choices, Not Amounts:  It is proven that given fewer choices people stop eating sooner.  If the only dessert choice was fudge, for example, you would eat a few pieces and be done.  If, on top of the fudge, there were several other kinds of cookies and candies, would be more likely to sample everything and even go back for seconds due to the different tastes and textures.  Let yourself have as much as you want of a few things you've been craving, and call it good.

You can read the entire article here.  Martin knows his stuff and his ideas on Intermittent Fasting are revolutionary.

What I did today....

It was a rest day from the gym but I took the dog on a good 3 mile walk.  Hopefully I'll have time to do it again tomorrow in between all the festivities.