Weight Loss During Holidays: What to Do With Leftovers?

If I Want to Lose Weight, What Can I Do With Leftovers?

Okay, tell me if you've ever done this: It's Monday late afternoon. You decided yesterday that starting today you were going to 1) eat right, and 2) start to get regular exercise, and 3) give up all your bad habits. So, you're picking things up around the house and starting to notice all the little bits and pieces of leftovers from the past weekend. You see the cookies here and small bits of candy there. Today in my house I noticed three individually wrapped, large shortbread cookies with icing (my favorites), several bags of candy that looks just like real rocks (in a decorative jar--it's for show, really, it is) and the leftovers from the latest family gathering, which in this case is about five pounds of fruit salad -- not bad in itself, but I can only eat so much fruit salad.

And Then There's the Wine

Of course, I had to buy some wine at a tasting on Saturday (I always buy it, don't know why I think those wine tasting's are such a great deal -- they always entice me to buy), and now there's an open bottle waiting.

So, my thoughts are, "Do I eat this, or not?" "Do I throw it away and WASTE it?" "Oh, my, dear no. That's not a good idea," I think. Oh, I just remembered there is also an entire plate of large cinnamon rolls (Cinnabon style) I made Friday night. They'll be stale soon. That's not good. It'd be such a shame to throw them all away, and I only ate one so far.

And so it goes. Do I talk myself into becoming a human garbage can by eating all the remaining food from the weekend, thus going into Tuesday and possibly Wednesday with the taste of weekend indulgence still on my lips, or do I decide, really decide, I've had enough? It's time to eat better, like I just said, last night. Remember last night? It seems so long ago now ...

What if We Just Start our Diet Tomorrow?

It's interesting how easily we talk ourselves right out of what we had decided yesterday was such a good idea. So what's wrong with just starting tomorrow? What's wrong is that tomorrow never comes. It's always today, right now. You'll never reach that elusive tomorrow. Yes, the date on the calendar changes, but you, standing where you are, right here, right now, are still here, in the present. You can't live in the past, nor can you live in the future. You can only live in the moment.

Decide Right Now: What Do you Want for Your Health

So if you want to decide, then decide right now. What do you want, really want for yourself? Do you want to continue to indulge yourself at every turn, or do you want to exercise just a bit more discipline and see if you can get into better shape? It's not about what you'll miss out on, it's about what you will gain. Better health, more energy, endurance. You'll feel better, you'll look better. It's all about what you'll gain, but in the immediate moment, it's so easy to think only of right now. Yes, but right now this would taste so good, wouldn't it, and there's always tomorrow.

I've found that when I make a mental shift, a real shift, not just a decision but a true change in my thinking, then I follow through, and not until then. All the times I try to talk myself into doing things that I don't really want to do, are not successful. Probably they're not successful because I don't really want to do them.

How do you get yourself motivated and stay that way? I start with a list. List all the reasons you want to lose some weight. Think in terms of a mini goal of five or 10 pounds. Make it a one month goal, not a lifetime goal. It's fine to have long-term goals, but if you really want to learn to change for good, then you need to make it something you can live with. Incorporate real change into your lifestyle and you can indulge at a holiday party without it making any difference; without it throwing you off the deep end. When you go on vacation you'll come back maybe a couple pounds heavier, but it won't matter. You'll have eaten what you wanted, you'll have had a wonderful time, and not stressed yourself over whether you're gaining weight.

Make a List: Why I want to lose Weight

What's my first mini-goal? (1 week to 1 month). What's my longer-term goal? (1 month to 1 year)

How strict must I be for this to work? (Pre-planned or legalized deviations works very well for many people)

Sometimes, especially if you use a plan that incorporates "legalized cheating" then you'll end up with some leftover food. Get used to getting rid of it. Give it away, throw it away, it really doesn't matter. You're not doing yourself any favor by eating all the leftovers. So what if the cinnamon rolls go stale? I ate one and really enjoyed it, and that's what's important. Others also ate some cinnamon rolls, and even if no one had any, did I make them to eat them all, or did I make them because I was in the mood to make cinnamon rolls? Does eating them all myself make any sense at all?

Sometimes I feel a little guilty making goodies and then giving them away because I think I'm not making it any easier for others to stick to their plans, but then I remember what I do in that situation, and I have to assume others are adult about how they decide to take care of themselves too. If I decide I'm going to eat in a more healthful manner, and someone brings something unexpected, it's not difficult in most all circumstances to simply say, "No, thanks. I already ate," or take some on a plate for later.

Since I don't go on "restrictive" diets, then I can incorporate pretty much anything into my day's food plan. I just eat it, when I'm hungry. I find it so much easier to base my eating on whether I'm hungry, than on whether something is there. Just because unexpected people show up, doesn't mean you use them, does it? Honestly, do you think anyone is upset when you leave a bit more for them? I don't think so.

The Case of the Missing Wedding Cake

True story: When I was a teenager my mother remarried and I offered to buy the wedding cake. I had an ulterior motive. My favorite bakery, Beaverton Bakery, was where I intended to get the cake, and I knew by ordering far more than would be necessary there'd be lots and lots of leftovers for me to gorge myself silly after the festivities, or so I thought.

What happened instead is a blur. I don't know really what happened to the cake but I do know I not only didn't get any leftovers, I never even had a piece at the wedding. I tend to get caught up in the people and don't usually eat at parties, so I paid it no attention, and much to my dismay someone else had bundled it up before I got there to do so. Alas, I was never to taste that cake at all. Such a disappointment. It must have been a life altering event because I still remember it and it's been more than 25 years ago!

Food memories stick for a very long time. That day is my prime example of how I would not have minded one little bit if more people had said, "No thanks, I just ate," and passed on the cake. I just wish I'd been a little more alert in setting aside a hunk for later.

~~ Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Get The Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.

---

Low Carb and Lowfat Diets...A Scam?!

If anyone knows anything about fitness, it's that a low... Read More

Waist To Hip Ratio

Your health is affected not only by how much body... Read More

The R Factors - Your Answer For Getting To The Perfect Body For Fitness And Health

Building a Perfect Body for Body Perfect Fitness and Health... Read More

The Jack LaLanne Diet - Are You Tough Enough?

There's no way you can separate the Jack LaLanne diet... Read More

Fat Burners: The Biggest Rip-Off of the Weight Loss Industry?

Fat burners have become very popular in today's society, especially... Read More

The Atkins Diet - Separating Fact From Fiction

Have you ever wished for a diet where you ate... Read More

Setting Morning Intentions For Success

Ever heard of the expression, "Getting up on the wrong... Read More

Negative Calorie Foods FAQs

What is negative calorie effect? Whatever food we eat,... Read More

Hollywood Weight Loss Secrets ? Five Things to Avoid!

As an employee of famous fitness star Kathy Smith, personal... Read More

Simple Plans for Social Eating and Travel

It's one thing to stick with your diet regimen when... Read More

An Introduction to Tummy Tucks

Abdominoplasty, or "tummy tuck" is a major surgical procedure that... Read More

How I Easily Lost 21 lbs. in Just Weeks- Without Getting Hungry!

I was shocked. I started to cry...After the holidays, I... Read More

4 Great Diet Tips

Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of... Read More

Weight Loss Surgery ? The Benefits and Financial Cost

Generally, weight loss surgery such as the gastric bypass will... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #8

Life is extraordinary filled with wonderful people to show up... Read More

Four Big Weight Loss No-Nos

I've worked with hundreds of people who were interested in... Read More

The Answer to Combining Diet & Exercise for Maximum Weight Loss

Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More

Is Your Ability to Buy Dietary Supplements, Herbal Preparations, and Tonics in Jeopardy in the USA?

When the DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health Education Act) was passed... Read More

Obesity ? The Underlying Historic Causes

The scourge of obesity has reached such gigantic proportions across... Read More

Weight Loss - Attitude Counts

Weight loss specialists will tell you that attitude has a... Read More

3 Surprising Statistics About Our Weight

To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an... Read More

How to End the Food Cravings with EFT

Breaking Down Cravings One at a TimeI know you've heard... Read More

Weight Loss Surgery: A Last Resort

Thinking about weight loss surgery? You're not alone. Over two-thirds... Read More

Surviving September: The Dietary New Year

With summer completed and school back in session, it'll be... Read More

The Folly of Diet Recipes

Have you ever wondered why diet books always seem to... Read More

The Myth of Fast Weight Loss

You will be surprised to find out how many people... Read More

Weight Loss Through Low Carb Diet

Are you or your family members amongst the 65%?To help... Read More

Why Do Gastric Bypass Patients Get Sleepy After Eating?

Have you noticed since your WLS and return to regular... Read More

Youll Need Total Will Power To Undergo Weight Loss

How much will power does it take in order to... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery - What Are The Risks?

Although all of the risks involved in gastric bypass surgery... Read More

Tighter Tummy and Thinner Thighs

As a Master swimmer I am made painfully aware, each... Read More

The Most Under-Rated Aspect of Weightloss

If I were asked, "what is the most difficult thing... Read More

Fast Weight Loss for Special Occasions

Losing weight quickly is not advisable as most of the... Read More