Avoiding the Gift of Holiday Weight Gain

five simple solutions on curtailing the temptation of the spread

Portland, OR (PRWEB) December 18, 2008 -- It's hard to believe that a year has nearly past and the holidays are just around the corner.

Since the holiday season is close at hand, here is some sound advice that can certainly make a difference through thick and thin. Here are a few tips to get you through the holidays without having to deal with the weight gain and disappointment that follows:

1. Do not try to lose weight during the holidays. Simply staying the same weight will be a great accomplishment.

2. Expect the holidays to be a challenge. The Holidays are filled with opportunities to break your diet and gain weight. Sometimes this will create tremendous pressure on you. Prepare for it and you will win.

3. Get support for eating properly. Find a support partner and speak with them daily. This really makes a difference. If you resist this suggestion, then you will probably gain Holiday weight. Weight loss is best done with the help of a support system, particularly during a stressful time. If you attempt to go it alone, you may fail.

4. Pay attention to emotional family issues. Holidays usually mean time with family, and this means that any unresolved family issues will emerge and create strong emotions in you. You may self-medicate with food to get through these emotions thus resulting in weight gain. If you identify these issues prior to family gatherings, you will be better prepared to manage the feelings they generate.

Almost all overeating is related to intense emotions. This is particularly true about holiday eating. Holidays bring up feelings of loneliness, family conflict, past hurts and resentments, anger and many other painful emotions. If we combine these stressors with an abundance of comfort food, then we have the perfect weight gaining situation.

If you identify these stressors, you can make productive decisions about how to manage them. If you simply walk into family gatherings unaware of the emotional pitfalls, you can count on having your diet fall apart.

Everyone has family issues that are intense and unresolved. Don't think you are a happy exception if you are weight challenged. A dose of self-reflection and inner honesty will go a long way towards helping you stay on your diet during the coming season.

5. Let family members know that you are working hard to lose weight and that you want their support. Ask them to resist the urge to tempt you to eat food that will throw you off and to provide alternative foods for you.

I really can't stress enough the importance of a support partner. Get one and then use them for encouragement and strength to do what needs to be done. You don't need to handle family issues alone.

We have found that the more dysfunctional the family, the more support you will need to deal with them. If you choose to walk this path alone, you may quickly find that you are lost in food.

In the spirit of the upcoming Holiday Season we would like to give you a low carb, sugar free stevia recipe that will help you through this weight challenging time of the year.

Low Glycemic Sugar Free Spiced Cocoa
Serves: 4
Carbs Per Serving: 14.5 g
Prep Time:<15 minutes

Nothing defines the holiday season like a nice cup on hot chocolate or as my family called it cocoa. A lot of people don't realize the amazing health benefits of cocoa. A recent study has found that cocoa is rich in powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants can protect you against a range of diseases and reduce the effects of aging. Further studies suggests cocoa may be richer in antioxidants than drinks like tea and red wine.

Conventional hot chocolate is loaded with sugar. Here is an amazing cocoa recipe that is low in carbs and sugars yet is really delicious. I have this almost every morning during the winter months. You have to try it, seriously.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup Steviva Brand Stevia Blend, Fructevia or 1/16 tsp of Steviva Brand Stevia Powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
In a saucepan, combine cocoa, Steviva Brand Stevia Blend, Fructevia or Steviva Brand Stevia Powder, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt. Blend in hot water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil, stirring for 2 minutes. Add milk; stir and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Beat until foamy. Serve hot with cinnamon sticks, if desired.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup
Total Calories: 510
Calories Per Serving: 127.5
Total Fat: 12.4g
Saturated Fat: 6.4g
Cholesterol: 41.3mg
Sodium: 516.9mg
Total Carbohydrates: 60g
Carbohydrates Per Serving: 14.5g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2
Sugars: 58.2g
Protein: 42.4g

Eat well and have a happy holiday season!

Please contact Thom King (thom.king@steviva.com) at Steviva Brands, Inc. at 310-455-9876 for interviews, product shots and samples. High resolution product shot can be downloaded at http://www.steviva.com/press/Fructevia.tif , http://www.steviva.com/press/StevivaBlend.tif , http://www.steviva.com/press/steviva_powder.tif .

Download Steviva Brands brochure at http://www.steviva.com/StevivaBrochure.pdf

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