Planning Your Way to Healthy

Its that time of year again when the cutest little girls show up on your doorstep and want you to buy Girl Scout cookies. And who can refuse them? So we buy... and buy A LOT! And then, of course, we must eat them... all! I say Girl Scout cookies because I'm the troop cookie mom and there's over 1000 boxes of cookies in my house this time of year, but it can be any kid/school fund raiser food.

Note: If you want to be supportive of a kid's activity, but don't want the calories, they are just as appreciative of donations. Whatever you would spend on the cookies, give that amount in a donation.

The mecca of football events is today.... Super Bowl Sunday.  We treat this as another major holiday to overindulge. All of the insanely rich, really good snacks everywhere. We all know I love Pinterest, and it is full of great Super Bowl Party food right now. It's just too hard to resist.

There are always plenty of "events" that get in the way of our plans to eat healthy and manage our diets. It seems like we are just getting past eating from the holidays, and now we're moving on to new "holidays". It's important to give yourself SOME indulgences, but in moderation. Complete deprivation doesn't make it sustainable.

You can manage it if you have a plan.

 

Here's my plan for days like today, and when I have events.

#1 rule is... Don't show up to any place hungry. I eat something small, healthy, and filling before I head to any event. Remember in high school when you would eat before going out on a date so you wouldn't stuff yourself in front of your date... do that again but for a different reason. (I know may be breaking the "girl code") If you're not starved when you get there, you won't be tempted to eat whatever is in front of you.

#2... If I'm not sure of the menu, I usually offer to bring something. It's helpful and normally welcomed by the host. This way, I can be sure there's at least 1 healthy option. Or I bring some Girl Scout cookies (or whatever you have) to share.

#3... squeeze in a work out. Today I'll spend an hour in yoga to make sure I get in some exercise. (plus I need it after my run yesterday) You can go for a walk/run, or find some time at the gym before all the pre-pre-pre game hype starts. (We all know it's going to be on all day.)

#4... Set limits and use self discipline. Make one plate; set a certain number of cookies for the day; whatever the limit is. Then I stick to it; mindless eating can get us all in trouble. Good thing about Girl Scout cookies is they freeze. I'm not tempted to over eat because they go bad, and I am sure the hostess has a plan for any leftover food.

There are plenty of ways to survive whatever "event" you have coming up. You just need to be aware, have a plan, and good execution. So that's my plan... What's yours?