PHOTO: VEER
BETTERHEALTH
TEC H SU PPO R T
“I share my experiences with diet and weight loss on a blog— fitchick365
.com— as well as a Twitter page. I admit, some days this is a challenge. I
love eggnog, and I’ve never met a cheese tray I didn’t want to devour. But if
I eat it, I Tweet it, and this helps me toe the line. Like anyone, I have good
days and bad days. It’s the written record that keeps me from allowing the
occasional indulgence to spiral into a whole month’s worth.”
Jennifer Muroff, 45
New York City
L o st 80 p o u n d s in 2 0 0 7
BUDDY SY ST E M
“When it came to baking holiday treats, I had a serious weakness for
‘BLTs’—
bites, licks,
and
tastes.
I’d sample the batter; I’d lick the spoon;
I’d eat the broken cookies. I knew this wasn’t good for my health, so I
instituted a no-BLT rule and started baking with my best friend, Cathy.
Just
being
with another person made me much more accountable for my
actions. And now that I’m nibbling less, I have more goodies to share!”
Kim Bensen, 49
Shelton, Connecticut
L o st 212 p ou n d s 2 0 0 1-2 0 0 3
SH A K E A N D BAKE
“When I know I’ll be serving potato latkes as part of Hanukkah dinner,
I
move around as much as I can before and after. In fact, I keep an iPod
dock in my kitchen and dance to Lady Gaga and Shakira as I’m prepping
and frying. It’s so easy to give up and think,
Today is a lost cause because
I’m going to pig out.
Staying active at other parts of the day really helps
minimize the damage.”
Bethanne Weiss, 44
Lake Mary, Florida
L o st 15 p o u n d s in 20 0 5
Four Common
Party Pitfalls
1
SKIPPING BREAKFAST
THE MORNING OF
This tactic probably won’t lower
your overall food intake. In a
study published in the
A m e r ic a n
J o u r n a l o f C lin ic a l N u t r itio n ,
women who went without an a.m.
meal ended up consuming more
calories throughout the day than
those who woke up to a bowl of
high-fiber cereal.
2
LOSING TRACK OF
LIQUID CALORIES
As it turns out, the shape of
your glass can have a bearing
on your tally. Adults observed
in a Cornell University study
unknowingly poured and drank
about
19
percent more juice when
given short, wide glasses vs. tall,
slender glasses. At a self-serve
drink station, reach for the latter
to keep yourself in check.
3
CHATTING AT THE BUFFET
Everyone gravitates to the food
at a party, but once you’ve served
yourself, take your conversations
elsewhere. When food is visible
a n d
within arm’s reach, people
are apt to graze mindlessly.
C LO TH ES CALL
“Whenever I need help deciding whether to have a second piece of
pumpkin pie, I think of two holiday tops hanging in my closet: One is a
bulky red sweater I wore when I was heavier. The other is a beautiful red
blouse that was once my ‘goal top’— and fits me perfectly now. Saying yes
to the pie would mean saying yes to that old sweater. No, thanks!”
Leeda Bacon, 58
Sacramento
L o st 75 p o u n d s in 20 0 4
S W E E T SU R R E N D E R
“Maybe this is my rebellious streak talking, but depriving myself of a
certain food only makes me want it more. And I know from experience
that this increases my chances of bingeing on it. So when spritz butter
cookies call my name, I answer the first time! It’s more practical to eat a
couple than try to force myself to cut them out completely.”
Carol Leo, 47
Little Ferry, New Jersey
L o st 30 p o u n d s in 20 0 8
4
LETTING A
HEAVY MEAL “ SIT”
A single high-fat meal can have
an inflammatory effect on the
body and even temporarily stiffen
blood vessels. Getting aerobic
exercise immediately afterward—
whether by playing in the snow
or taking a brisk walk—can help
counter this effect.
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS | DECEMBER 2010 | BHG.COM
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