Eating During the Holidays

How to Avoid Overeating while Adding Excitement and Flavour to Your Diet!

This is partnered guest post.

From prawns topped with parsley to dreamy banana split piled with nuts and whipped cream, there are foods in this world that can literally make a person drool. Obesity is an epidemic all over the world, however many people believe that overeating is just mind over matter. Instead of seeking a therapist and a 12 step diet program, why not take note of some of our tips to reduce your eating habits and add some excitement to your diet.

Especially when you put on a little weight, overeating can put a real burden on your lifestyle. There are a number of ways that you can reduce what you eat, replace bad foods with healthy options and still enjoy your meal. Many of these options are less expensive that the foods you already buy, so you’ll be helping your body as well as your bank balance. Here are some ways to reduce what you eat while still adding some excitement and flavour to your diet.

Relax

A number of people overeat because they feel nervous or anxious, and when they’re eating these feelings seem to go away. This is a terrible trap to fall into, because overeaters will start to eat anything that reduces these nervous feelings, whether it’s burgers and chips or ice cream and cookie dough. Firstly, overeaters must learn to heavily reduce their caffeine intake. Too much caffeine can cause nervousness and anxious feelings, so stop the coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon and energy drinks in the evening.

Flooding

In order to stop your overeating, why not make the experience unpleasant? Experiment with your favourite foods, and consume them until you’re bursting at the seams – flood your body. You’ll most likely feel sick and put on a little weight, but hopefully this are the kicks you need to change your eating habits.

Once you’ve adopted a new mindset about your eating habits, it’s time to change your lifestyle and begin enjoying food again. From lean chicken to turkey breast, mincemeat to fish, up your body’s protein intake. Furthermore, you’ll want to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume too. The body stores carbohydrates and burns them before body fat.

Stock Your Fridge with Healthy Options

This is one of the easiest ways of adding excitement to your diet while also reducing what you eat, and this time you can flood your body with the good food it needs! When a person is overeating, the foods they pollute their bodies with are usually the foods that are easy to reach for. If you place bacon, eggs, sausages, chocolate and food flavourings at the front of your fridge and cupboards, then they’ll be first on the list when you want a snack. If you stock your fridge with good meals like fish, chicken, grains and vegetables, then you’ll have a much healthier choice of food options when you’re peckish.

Learn to Control Your Emotions

Boredom is also another cause of eating, and even though it seems reckless, many overeaters are excited by the food they consume. If you want to reduce your calorie intake, you’re going to need to refocus your efforts and energy into constructive activities that burn calories as well facilitating the need for healthy foods.

 

This guest post was written by James Honnan-Mellett, a blogger based in the UK with an interest in healthy living! Visit here for more information on improving your lifestyle.

 

 

Anne

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

More Posts

Nestle Candy – Holiday Gift Guide

Candy is always around during the holidays. Well, It’s around year round at my house, but you know, more so during the holidays. There is so much you can do with it!! Of course, Nestle Candy is a favorite here!

Just plain eat it…Yumm!

Pack it into a stocking for a yummy Christmas Morning.

Box it up and give it as a gift…. I love these Monkey Crunch Bars!!

 

Or bake it!!

 

I made some delicious cookies, but I made it the easy way… I used already made sugar cookie dough and added the Crunch Jingles.


Don’t these Peanut Butter Cookies with Butterfinger Bells sound delicious!! Similar but different!

Santa’s Thumb Print Cookies

Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Meals.com
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
  • 1 package (13 oz.) NESTLÉ BUTTERFINGER Jingles, unwrapped
  • 3/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
  2. BEAT peanut butter, brown sugar, butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda.
  3. SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in 1 cup granulated sugar; place on ungreased baking sheets.
  4. BAKE for 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press 1 Nestlé Jingle into center of each cookie (cookie will crack around edges). Cool cookies on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

I received Nestle Candy to review. Opinions are my own.

Anne

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

More Posts

Holiday Recipes with Winn Dixie

The holidays are almost here! I’m excited and yet a little anxious. We are hosting Christmas Eve dinner this year at our house. We had a big Thanksgiving Feast at my cousins house last month. I’ve never hosted a large dinner before because we’ve never lived this close to so many relatives before! It’s great to be able to share the holidays with family!

When I chose Christmas Dinner I started thinking of something different than the usual turkey or ham dinner. I wanted something fun and unique. So I choose Chili!

Here is our menu:

My husband’s famous sweet chili

Cornbread

Onion rings

Hot dogs

Corn chips and salsa

Rice

Crackers

Beer and Christmas Margaritas

and of course all the toppings like onions, sour cream and cheese!

 

Here is my Hubby’s recipe!

 

Don’s Chili

Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Don
Ingredients
  • •6 yellow onions
  • •5 green peppers
  • •1 cup brown sugar
  • •2 – 12oz. Tomato Paste (8 cans of water)
  • •4 – 16oz. cans of Stewed Tomatoes
  • •8 cans Spicy chili beans
  • •6- 16 oz. Dark Red Kidney Beans
  • •6 Buschs baked beans
  • •3 pounds of ground beef
  • •optional (3 pounds mild Italian sausage)
  • •garlic salt
  • •onion powder
  • •chili powder,
  • •salt
  • •pepper
Instructions
  1. Brown the beef. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic salt.
  2. Cut up onions and peppers and sauté in a little oil.
  3. Add together with the beef.
  4. Add all cans – do not drain.
  5. Mix and simmer

 

Did you know that the Winn-Dixie Holiday Website  has a new e-cookbook? The Winn Dixie Holiday Recipes to Impress e-book is being featured on the Winn-Dixie Facebook page. You can find everything from appetizers to desserts.

 

You can also share your favorite recipes in the e-cookbook. Then after the holidays, the top recipes will be selected and included in the completed e-cookbook and shared for fans to download! How exciting!

 

Oh desserts! I need to find something yummy! I need to check the Winn-Dixie Facebook page for some yummy dessert ideas!

If you are into Twitter parties, check out the Winn-Dixie Twitter party on December 18, 9 p.m., EST. RSVP here .
_________________________________________________________________
So what are you making for dinner for the Holidays?
This post was written in partnership with Niche Mommy Network & Conference and Winn-Dixie and I will receive compensation for posting this.
Anne

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

More Posts

Tuttorosso Tomatoes Review and Recipe

Tuttorosso is a popular company in the south and midwest. More than three generations of cooks have used Tuttorosso  for made from scratch, tomato based recipes. I never knew!

I figured a can of tomatoes is just as good as another. Not so! The Red Gold company (which makes the Tuttorosso brand) has been around since the 1940s. They focused on growing their tomatoes local, in the Midwest (Indiana, Michigan and Ohio) where true seasons impact the flavor of tomatoes. I guess that leaves South Florida out! I’m glad I moved to North Florida! The Midwest, while it’s cold in the winter, has the perfect growing season for tomatoes, perfect angle of the sun, perfect temps — and even the winter is good for tomatoes, as it breaks up the soil for tiny root systems.

 

I was sent some of the Tuttorosso Tomatoes to try out. I decided to make my mommy some dinner she could eat then and freeze some for later. We went to the store and bought some chicken breasts and I followed the recipe in the card I was sent. Very east to make. Just cut the chicken into bite sizes pieces and cook on stove with a little cooking spray until done. About 5 minutes each side. Remove.


Add the Peeled Plum Shaped Tomatoes with natural basil flavor (35 oz can) and 6 ox can of tomato paste. Cook 5-7 minutes to thicken and break up tomatoes with the back of a spoon.

Add chicken and simmer. Made your favorite pasta and viola! Easy, peasy dinner!

_________________________________________________________________

Want to win some fun prizes? Now and every day until December 22, just visit the Tuttorosso’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/tuttorossotomatoes) to win! Prizes change every day, so they’ll need to return and enter each time they want a chance to win. Winners will be drawn randomly and notified as soon as possible.

Here are next week’s prizes!!

Sunday, Dec. 9: Fat Italian Spoon Rest

Monday, Dec. 10: Scoop Strainer by Guy Fieri with bonus paring knife

Tuesday, Dec. 11: Tuttorosso Tuesday – gift basket of Tuttorosso products and recipes

Wednesday, Dec. 12: 2-stage Knife Sharpener by Wusthof

Thursday, Dec. 13: Tuttorosso Thursday – gift basket of Tuttorosso products and recipes

Friday, Dec. 14: Pasta and salad bowl by Rachael Ray

Saturday, Dec. 15: Herb Mill by Microplane

 

 

 

 

 

I was sent product to review. Opinions are my own.

Anne

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

More Posts

Healthy Holiday Eating (Giveaway)

I’ve been eating right and excerising and what did I do?

I blew it during Thanksgiving.

I’m kinda bummed but figured if I did it once, I can do it again!

But wait? Christmas is coming and so are all those Christmas cookies!!

 

Here to help are some Healthy Holiday Eating Tips by Dr. May. She says we need to have “mindful eating”.

Eat What You Love -Break your eat-repent-repeat cycle this year.  If your diet is too restrictive, you may experience feelings of deprivation and increased cravings, leading to overheating and guilt. -Instead of rigid rules, practice balance, variety and moderation:  Balance eating for enjoyment with eating for nourishment.  Eat a variety of foods for interest and nutrition.  Enjoy all your favorites in moderation.
 
 Love What You Eat  -Mindful eating is eating with intention and attention: with purpose and awareness.  For example, set an intention to feel better when you’re done than when you started.  Eat with attention by minimizing distractions (TV, computer) and focusing fully on the experience of eating. -Make eating a multi-sensory experience: appreciate the appearance, aromas, textures and flavors as you eat.  
 
Do What You Love -Exercise shouldn’t be punishment for eating.   -Discover the physical activities that you enjoy and fit into your lifestyle. -Being active is a great way to spend time as a family. 
 
Resources –For nutrition information, check out eatright.org. -For mindful eating information, visit AmIHungry.com
Here is a video of an interview I did with Dr. May via email.

 

Here were my questions:

What is the “eat-repent-repeat” cycle. How can I avoid it?
It’s hard to limit food when there is so much good food to eat? Any suggestions?
What’s a good way to work off those extra calories during the holidays..

Where can readers and I get more information

 

 

One Mommy has to Work reader will get Dr. May’s book  Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. See details below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received the above book fro posting this information.

Anne

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

More Posts