After a brief hiatus from writing, I think I'm back. Or at least until I take my vacation in a few days - but I thought I'd get a few things down before leaving.
First off, my baking or cooking lately has been m.i.n.i.m.a.l. Primarily because whenever I'm going to be leaving for an extended period of time I play a game called, Ingrid Cleans Out Her Cupboards. This game is fairly straight forward - it involves me cleaning out my freezer, fridge, and cupboards - usually ending up in some random meals. Today's lunch is wheat berry bean chili with cottage cheese.
As I'm working on resumes and job applications today - drinking my tea, I got to thinking about healthy snacking. Snacking and extra calories are especially important as we come to the holiday season. Most people put on an average of a pound between Thanksgiving and New Years... which doesn't seem like much, but over the year if we don't lose the weight, it can add up.
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| My usual Apricot Black Tea - work day ahead. |
Some of the most common mistakes people make are drinking their calories or not considering them in their overall count - believe me, those add up!! The other is nibbling throughout the day - maybe someone brought goodies to work or you have take homes from a party. Here's a tip avoid and kindly thank the host for the offered food, but insist you're already set... ok I know you can't turn down grandma - so consider taking that plate of goodies to the next party your invited to a couple days after (no one has to know you didn't spend hours slaving in the kitchen).
Ok, so how to keep off that hunger and still "snack" - some things I like to bring along are some mixed nuts and dried fruit - about a handful or 1/4 cup over a few hours when I'm working (helps me from getting ravenous when my body is ready for an actual meal). Cut up veggies - and hold the dip or opt for the fat-free (2 T. max!). A medium piece of fruit can work (I find this usually doesn't stick with me too long because it's just sugar, but definitely a better option than that cookie). A high protein snack bar also helps me get through the mid morning "I just had breakfast and 2 hours later I'm starving" feeling. With those bars, be careful to avoid the meal replacement bars - look for something lower in calories (~140 kcal) and lower in sugar. Bottom line, try to get some protein in to your snack - it WILL keep you feeling satisfied longer.
Happy holiday snack and bringing those habits in to 2012! It only takes 3 weeks to make something habit and 6 weeks to really stick to something.