Wednesday Wisdom


~Judith Viorst


Healthy Byte Holiday Edition: Tips & Strategies to Eating Healthy During the Holiday Season

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Ahhhhh December – I absolutely adore the atmosphere around this time of the year. But it is also one of the most challenging times for those like myself who have lost weight and want to keep it off. Food temptation is all around us but especially fierce around the holiday season. Aside from the endless barrage of office and holiday parties, home made bake goods seem to mysteriously multiply like rabbits in break rooms everywhere. But have no fear, here are some tips, strategies, & resources to help maintain a balance.

Tips on Eating Healthily During the Holiday Season















Defenses Against Food Pushers

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Chances are there has been a situation where you have felt pressured into eating something that you didn’t want to because either a friend or loved one convinced you that you should have just one, or 20. This is what we like to refer to as a food pusher. Someone who encourages or pressures you to eat something even if you had no intention of eating in the first place.


1. Admirers – This person is almost always innocent and simply wants to share a delicious recipe, sweet treat, or restaurant experience. In certain cultures, like my Spanish heritage, eating food is a primary way family and friends show love for each other. Admirers may also seek acceptance through their food.
2. Enablers – This person knows you need to lose weight, but they see the challenges you face and wants to ease the “pain” by allowing you to eat whatever you want. Another type of enabler may not want to be seen as the “bad guy” or person who keeps you from eating what you want.
3. Sabotagers – In either subset of sabotagers, this type of food pusher wants you to eat more with a root intent of making themselves feel better for a) not being the only one who gives into temptation or struggles and/or b) that you won’t reach your goals and change as fast, out of a fear of what that means for them.

The Push: “It’s my specialty, you have to try it!”

Your Response: “I will in a bit!”

Why It Works: Stalling is a great tactic with food pushers. Odds are the offender won’t follow you around making sure you actually try the dish. If they catch up with you by the end of the party to ask what you thought, tell them that it slipped your mind but you’ll be sure to try it next time.

The Push: “This [insert name of high-calorie dish] is my favorite. You’ll love it!”

Your Response: “I had some already—so delicious!”
Why It Works: A white lie in this situation isn’t going to hurt anybody. You’ll get out of eating food you don’t want or need, and the food pusher will have gotten a compliment on what probably is a delicious dish.

The Push: “It’s just once a year!”

Your Response: “But I’ll probably live to celebrate more holidays if I stick with my diet plan!”

Why It Works: People can sometimes see healthy eating as vain—a means to the end result of losing weight and looking better. It’s harder for a food pusher to argue with you if you bring attention to the fact that you eat right and exercise for better health and a longer life. Looking good just happens to be a side effect!

The Push: “Looks like someone is obsessed with dieting…”

Your Response: “I wouldn’t say obsessed, but I am conscious of what I eat.”

Why It Works: Words like “food snob” or obsessed” are pretty harsh when they’re thrown around by food pushers. But don’t let passive-aggressive comments like this bring you down or make you veer away from your good eating intentions. Acknowledging your willpower and healthy food choices might influence others to be more conscious of what they eat. Sometimes you just have to combat food pushers with a little straightforward kindness.

The Push: “If you don’t try my dish, I’m just going to have to force you to eat it!”

Your Response: “Sorry, but I don’t like (or can’t eat) [insert ingredient here].”

Why It Works: It’s hard to argue with someone’s personal food preferences. If someone doesn’t like an ingredient whether its sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or butter, odds are that he or she hasn’t liked it for a very long time. If you’d like to get creative with this one, go into detail about how you got sick on the ingredient as a kid or how your mom says you always threw it across the room as a baby. Who can argue with that?

The Push: “You need some meat on your bones.”

Your Response: “Trust me, I’m in no danger of wasting away!”


The Push: “One bite isn’t going to kill you.”

Your Response: “I know, but once you pop you can’t stop! And I’m sure it’s so delicious I wouldn’t be able to stop!”

Why It Works: This is another situation where humor will serve to distract the food pusher from his or her mission. It’s a way to say “thanks, but no thanks” while making it clear that you’re not interested in overindulging.

The Push: “But it’s your favorite!”

Your Response: “I think I’ve overdosed on it; I just can’t eat it anymore!”


The Push: [Someone puts an extra helping on your plate without asking.]


Why It Works: While putting food on some- one else’s plate can be viewed as passive- aggressive, it was probably done with love. (Let’s hope!) Making it look like you ate a bite or two can be an easy way out of the situation, but you can also just leave it alone and claim that you’ve already had your fill. (After all, you didn’t add that extra helping!)

The Push: “Have another drink!”

Your Response: “I have to drive.”

Why It Works: No one will argue with the fact that you want to drive home sober. If they do, you should have no qualms walk- ing away from the conversation, period. If they offer a place for you to stay, you can always get out of the situation by blaming an early morning commitment or the fact that you need to get home to let the dog out. Kids will also get you out of everything.


12 Healthy Ways to Survive the Holiday Eating Frenzy

Coping Strategies for Food Pushers

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Healthy Byte: Balance is Key

80 20 principle dietAs Thanksgiving lurks around the corner and for many, the start of the holiday season is when most people gain the most weight, only to follow by yet another New Year resolution.

But there is a far better way to enjoy the holidays without it being at the expense of health and nutrition. The key is 80/20 Rule.

I often mention that you should try and eat healthy (whole foods, lots of veggies, protein, avoiding too many processed carbs) 80% of the time.

In fact, it’s stated right in the 12 Minute Athlete food philosophy. And it falls right in line with the 80/20 principle of eating.




Cooking at homes means you know exactly what goes in your food—how much oil, butter, how many carbs, etc. And it’s about a thousand times easier to figure out your portion sizes as well.

Yet I don’t know about you, but I like eating out. I happen to be lucky enough to live in San Francisco, a mecca of awesome restaurants and new places to check out. I like having other people cook for me. And I get joy out of finding new places to eat and exploring the city.

And while I do try and cook my own meals the majority of the time, I typically eat out anywhere around two to five times a week. Some of my meals out are similar to what I’d make at home—salads, veggie-heavy meals, burrito bowls (I’m a huge fan of these). And some of them are a little more indulgent—trying out a great new pizza place, sharing really yummy Indian food with friends, having delicious, carb-heavy pasta on a special occasion or just to end a tough week.


Because what do we work so hard for in our workouts, if not to enjoy ourselves in life?




I used to obsess over every single calorie at special occasions—avoiding pumpkin pie (my favorite) at Thanksgiving, Christmas cookies around the holidays, dessert at parties. I thought that if I did indulge, my entire diet would go to shit and I’d immediately gain 20 pounds.



Most people who start diets inevitably fail.













Balance is key


And the 80/20 principle allows you to do that.




And that’s what life is all about.

Originally Posted HERE

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