‘Tis the season of extra cleaning, cooking, traveling, hosting, spending extra money and loading more into your already jam packed schedule.  Welcome to the whirlwind of gift-giving, marketing blitzes, holiday parties and activities galore!  What starts right after Halloween, builds to Thanksgiving and gains momentum through the end of the year?  MORE STRESS!

So what causes holiday stress? Simply doing too much, eating, drinking and spending too much.  Being together too much, or not being together enough.    What can we do to help manage this stress? Slow down and get organized.  Planning is the key!  Do you really think your family and friends are going to be enraged that you did not actually bake that pie, but instead got it from a bakery?  I don’t.  So, if you don’t have the time to spare, don’t spend extra time and energy on those things.  Prepare ahead of time by having healthy food on hand for each meal.  Be aware of your intake and practice mindful eating.  And of course, as in the last blog, find what TRIGGERS you’re eating habits!

Change your expectations for togetherness.  Think back to previous years, and how much time you can really spend with your family and friends before feeling anxiety and stress, then schedule your time accordingly.  If you are experiencing loneliness, try to invite a group of friends over for a night in.  You can also volunteer at a local shelter to help those less fortunate than yourself!  And the number 1 thing to help yourself not get as stressed this year……BREATHE!  It’s a no brainer, but sometimes we forget.  Take 10 minutes to yourself every day, even if you have to sit in the bathroom.  You will be surprised at the serenity you will get from it.

It’s the same old story, “I lose the weight, but it always comes back, plus some!”  Some people may wonder if keeping it off is even possible.  I am sure there are various strategies people take to maintain, but most people fall short due to daily stress, emotions, and not breaking old habits.  Losing weight is an investment, so why go back to old habits and waste the money you just invested in yourself?

I believe that changing your relationship with food can truly lay a foundation of successful weight management.  Emotional eating is one of the biggest reasons people gain weight, am I right?  Overcoming emotional eating is tough, especially when you can’t figure out what triggers you to do it.  So your first assignment is when you catch yourself eating, no matter the reason, write it down.  If it is simply just time to eat a meal, write it down.  If it is because you are sad, hungry, angry, bored, or even happy, write it down!  Go back in 1 to 2 weeks and figure out the reasons you eat.

Your next assignment is to find different ways to cope with your feelings about eating.  If you are sad, watch a sad movie, cry, get all your emotions out.  Movies I love are “My Sisters Keeper”, “Armageddon”, and “City of Angels”.  If you are eating because you are angry, cleaning is a great way to be silent and think things through!  I know what works for some may not work for others, but it is up to you to figure out what triggers your eating habits, and what works best for you to help you control the urges to eat!

On a side note, if you are committed and in this for the long haul, find a good support system to help you.  Find people who really want to be there for you, and support the steps you are taking to make yourself the best YOU!

HCG DIET Provides HOPE and RESULTS for Many when all else FAILS
The HCG diet has been in the news quite a bit lately. Pounds and Inches Away, now with locations in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, Utah and Canada, has been successfully helping clients lose 20 -30 pounds in about a month. Here are some facts:
• HCG can be extremely helpful in losing significant weight when used as part of a very specific plan that was developed by a Dr. ATW Simeons based on over 20 years experience.
• Most people who do the HCG diet correctly are thrilled with the results.
• Most people who speak negatively of the HCG protocol have absolutely no actual experience with it.
• Most people lose over 20 pounds in about a month when they follow the HCG diet correctly with effective HCG.
• The protocol acts like a cleanse or detox and makes many participant enjoy and desire healthier foods.
• Most participants lose weight significantly faster and different than with any other weight loss method.
• From personal experience, we believe that the HCG protocol is the only hope left for many people.

Given these facts, we make the following suggestions to help consumers get the desired result of safe, effective, fast weight loss:
1.) HCG in several forms can be effective, but not all HCG is effective – all HCG is NOT created equal, so pay attention to trustworthiness and source.
2.) Knowledge of the details is critical. There is more inaccurate information than accurate information circulating, so either become an expert or work with an expert.
3.) Who do you follow? Follow a company who follows Dr. Simeons precisely or someone else who spent 20 years on it, which probably doesn’t exist in the U.S. Otherwise, you are being experimented with, instead of using the proven method.
Linda Prinster, Author HCG Weight Loss Cure guide