Holiday Weight Myths to Avoid

Three holiday weight myths you want to avoid!

1) I am not going to worry about my weight until the New year

MYTH BUSTED: There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. By consuming just 2 extra cookies and handful of chocolates a day at 500 calories a pop, you could gain 1 pound in just 7 days. Add that on top of cutting out your exercise due to your busy shopping schedule and you could easily gain an extra 3-5 pounds in just a few short weeks. Taking it off is much harder than putting it on so don’t even get caught up in this mind set. Avoid the extreme thinking and stick with moderation.

2) I am NOT going to eat on the days I have parties so I can save my calories for the event.

MYTH BUSTED: This will only put your body in a fat storing mode. Your body will burn less calories due to not being properly fueled during the day and then at night your body will not know what to do with all of the extra calories other than store them as fat. Turn your body into a fat burning not storing machine by eating small frequent meals and snacks during the day leading up to your big party. This will help tremendously as you will end up eating less, as well as make it easier to choose healthier food choices too. Tip: While at the party grab a plate and select your food choices. Instead of grazing from the table graze off of your plate and once the food is gone you are done

3) But I have to bake all of this food!

MYTH BUSTED: Take advantage of this time to finally get creative. By swapping out just a few simple items you can save BIG on calories without sacrificing the taste Example: When baking a quiche: substitute eggs with egg whites and regular cheese with part skim half and half creamer with fat free creamer or even skim milk and before you know it you have reduced your quiche down to half the amount of calories. Just 410 calories to 225 per slice. If you are ever stumped on how to swap out an ingredient just Google it. The items listed above are typically pretty safe bets. You don’t have to get to crazy with changes just baby steps. But this will save you Big in the calorie bank

Holiday Survival

Anyone who has been on a diet has experienced the frustration of trying to maintain a weight-loss program during the holidays. Because food is the focus of many holiday celebrations, it can be a real challenge to a dieter’s willpower.

There is a way to approach holiday eating without sabotaging a weight-loss program. First, plan plenty of activities for which food is not the primary focus. And, when food is an important part of the celebration, it helps to:
-Change some traditional holiday habits
-Get help from family and friends
-Reduce the holiday stress that often leads to compulsive eating

Changing some habits can keep a diet going without having to give up holiday treats altogether. For example, a person can make a list of favorite holiday food and then pick out two or three of your favorites to enjoy this year, and say good-bye to those dishes that are higher in fat and sugar. By eliminating some of the holiday dishes, you will have already eliminated some of the excess calories.

Another technique is to eat holiday treats in smaller quantities, such as baking a small-size cake that the family will finish at one sitting with no tempting leftovers. Divide your plate in thirds. One third is for the lean proteins, one third is for the veggies. The remaining third is for the starches.

Lastly, try to use low-calorie, low-fat substitutions for rich ingredients like sugar, butter or cream, for those holiday dishes that you just can’t eliminate.

Whatever changes you decide to make, it’s important to ask family members and friends to respect these choices and to refrain from tempting the dieter with other holiday goodies.

Sometimes the stress of the holidays causes people to eat more than usual. If that’s the case, it helps to seek out friends and family for support and to engage in activities that produce feelings of contentment or happiness.

There are 87, 840 minutes in the months of November and December combined. Surely you can find 30 minutes a day to fit in your exercise. For instance, rake leaves for 30 minutes. Raking leaves is a great way to burn those extra calories. If you have children involve them in this activity. You can rake piles and let them jump in them. What Fun! Enjoy your time and family while burning calories.

For additional tips on reducing calories and fat during the holidays, or if you have specific medical concerns about your meal plan, consult your health educator provider for advice on maintaining a safe weight-loss program during the holiday season.

How it all adds up

Drinks
1 mixed drink 250 calories
1 glass of wine 120 calories
1 glass of cider 120 calories
1 cup of eggnog 345 calories

Snacks
1 celery stalk with cream cheese 45 calories
1 cracker with cheese 70 calories
1 cup mixed raw veggies 25 calories
½ cup mixed raw nuts 440 calories
½ cup fresh fruit 60 calories
1 ounce regular potato chips 150 calories
1 Tablespoon of dip 75 calories

Salads
3 cups of salad with diet dressing 100 calories
1 Tablespoon Ranch dressing 75 calories
½ cup Jello mold 120 calories
½ cup Waldorf salad 110 calories

Main Course
6 ounces of ham 360 calories
6 ounces of turkey – white and dark 340 calories
6 ounces of Prime Rib 330 calories
6 ounces of turkey – white meat only 240 calories

Side Dishes
½ cup of stuffing 180 calories
½ cup of cranberry sauce 190 calories
½ cup of mashed potatoes 150 calories
½ cup gravy 150 calories
½ medium baked potato 80 calories
½ cup green bean casserole 225 calories
½ cup candied sweet potatoes 150 calories
½ cup steamed green beans 25 calories
1 dinner roll 110 calories
1 pat butter 45 calories
1 teaspoon sour cream 45 calories

Desserts
2 small chocolate chip cookies 150 calories
1 slice apple pie 410 calories
1 slice pecan pie 480 calories
1 slice pumpkin pie 180 calories
½ whipped cream 75 calories
½ cup vanilla ice cream 145 calories

Heart Felt Health with Charlotte Junior Tennis

“Heart Felt Health” – Nutrition/Cooking Class for Kids and Teens (7-14 yrs. old): a fun, hands-on cooking class that teaches kids about nutrition. Kids will work in groups to create colorful displays and will participate in fun cooking contests. We will also give participants special “recipes” to inspire them to live a “heart felt” life. Total Nutrition Technology (TNT) founder, Angela Gallo, will be available to provide nutritional information to participants and parents.

5 sessions for $60. Space Limited. For more information, visit our website at http://www.kidsheartfelthealth.com/ or to sign up, please contact us at info@kidsheartfelthealth.com. All classes will be held at Firethorne Country Club on Sundays, from 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m., on the following dates:

Session #1 (Nov. 14): Yes, Pizzas can be healthy!
Session #2 (Nov. 21): “The Sweet Life”
Session #3 (Nov. 28): Calcium Can Be Cool
Session #4 (Dec. 12): Rise & Shine with a Healthy Breakfast
Session #5 (Dec. 19): Get an “A” on Your Lunch Box: Foods that Make You Smarter

To learn more about Heart Felt Health Sessions email information@tntgetfit.com

Fall is Here...Do You Have the Willpower to Get Through It?!

Fall has now officially started, which is a beautiful, wonderful thing. But then again, it isn’t so beautiful and wonderful when you eat all the fun goodies you come across and indulge in every baked good and dessert that all your friends & co-workers make for you. Every holiday season you tell yourself that it is going to be different and you have the willpower to pass on all the tempting sweets and choose something healthier, but in the end, we give in, leading to a weight gain of a few pounds. Don’t feel so bad it’s only human nature! It doesn’t have to be this way and you can still be able to enjoy the fun festivities of this holiday season minus those extra pounds.

There are many ways you can make this season healthier. When you have a company party instead of bringing unhealthy items like chips, dips or dessert, bring a veggie platter or hummus dip. Also, steer clear of the dessert table so you don’t tempt yourself. Eliminating as many of your temptations as possible is the best way to go so you don’t give in towards the end of the night. When you receive goodies from your co-workers, instead of eating the whole plate of cookies, save ONE for yourself and then give the rest away to family or friends. Also, don’t bake any sweets at your house for other people. If you’re anything like me, I always have to taste everything one time, which then leads to tasting two or three times. By the end of baking those cookies, I’ve eaten a couple spoonfuls of dough and 4 or 5 cookies right out of the oven. Watch out for those hidden BLT’s, little Bits, Licks and Tastes! They start to add up!!

When Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, volunteer to make the desserts so that you pick what you want to make and it can be healthy. Or if there is a dessert tradition in your household, you can at least make it healthier. Some good healthy desserts could be stewed cinnamon apples with low fat vanilla yogurt/ice cream or a cake made with egg whites and applesauce instead of a whole egg and oil.

There are little things that you can do to make a big difference this holiday season. So given yourself the gift of nothing this season and keep off those unwanted pounds. Just have perseverance and don’t stray from those healthy habits. To get more information on how to create healthy & fun recipes for this Fall contact TNT at 1-704-549-9550 or visit us at www.tntgetfit.com!

How to Look Great and Feel Fabulous

Join TNT President and Founder Angela Gallo-Wilkinson at Providence Country Club October 20th and learn how to Maximize Your Metabolism and achieve your Optimal Weight!

For more information email information@tntgetfit.com

Football Season is here!

Every year when September rolls around, it only means one thing...Football Season! If you are an American then you love football and you also love the tailgating that comes along with it. Even though tailgating is the highlight of game day, it doesn’t mean that you should eat or drink whatever is in front of you. Many people experience weight gain during football season because of that very reason. This year instead of eating fried chicken wings, pizza, creamy dips and chips, chicken tenders, and drinking all the beer full of calories, try doing something healthy. Try a little variety of Eat This NOT That. Instead of getting fried chicken wings, try Boneless Buffalo Wings (eatingwell.com) that are baked and dredged in whole-wheat flour. You could also pan-fry these in a little extra virgin olive oil and receive the benefits from the oil as well. Same goes for the chicken tenders, try baking instead of frying. For pizzas, instead of going to the local pizza joint, try assembling them the night before and popping them in the oven the day of the game and use veggies and low fat meats as a healthier option. When it comes to dips, there is no better thing than fried Ruffle potato chips with French Onion dip, but both of these are full of fat and calories. Instead, for chips, try baked chips, when paired with dip you can’t even tell they aren’t fried. For the dips, try low-fat/fat-free sour cream or cream cheese when using creamy dips and for the cheese, try using the 2% cheese instead of the full fat cheese. Finally, when it comes to beer, try drinking low-carb beers like Michelob Ultra, Michelob Amber, Amstel Light, and Bud Light or Bud Light Lime. All of these beers contain 110 calories or less and have 4 carbs or fewer. So when preparing this years tailgate, consider making your options healthy by using these tips. If you have any questions on tailgating foods and how to make a dish healthier contact TNT at 1-704-549-9550 or visit us at http://www.tntgetfit.com/!

What you don't know about antioxidants!

Antioxidants are coming about to the public eye and people are talking. I bet most of you are wondering exactly what antioxidants are, where they are found, and what they do for your body and your mind. There are many fruits and vegetables that are full of antioxidants that people don’t know about. Some of the most common foods that people relate antioxidants to are blueberries (berries in general), pomegranates, and green tea. Aside those, people don’t know much about them. Antioxidants, on a chemistry level, are a substance that helps with the prevention of oxidation from occurring in the body and the destructive effects that oxidation can cause. On a health level, antioxidants help slow down oxidation and have an impact on our health in a good way that will benefit us in the long run.

Now, I bet you are wondering exactly where to find these antioxidants. First, most all the fruits and vegetables that you eat are full of antioxidants, but you just don’t know it. You’ll be amazed by all of the foods that contain antioxidants. Here is a list of just a few fruits and vegetables that you may not have thought of that contain antioxidants.
· berries
· broccoli
· tomatoes
· red grapes
· garlic
· spinach
· tea
· carrots
· soy
· whole grain
· pomegranates
· potatoes
· apples
· beans
· artichokes
· prunes
· plums
· cherries
· pecans

Now that you know of some fruits and vegetables try and incorporate these into your daily diet. You’ll know that you’re getting your daily dose of antioxidants. If you have any more questions about antioxidants please contact TNT at 1-704-549-9550 or visit us at http://www.tntgetfit.com/!