CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - My email in-box is filling up with tips on how to stay in shape during the holidays. It's uncanny. How did they know that I'm already losing the battle?
I'm starting to think that as I work at my computer, the publicity writers and senders of those emails are watching my every move. They could probably tell me how many pieces of chocolate I've sneaked this week.
According to many, the holidays are a time of great stress, which leads to binge eating. And, it is no joke that holiday treats and parties take a toll on the waistline and hips.
What I've noticed is that the problem actually begins earlier with the fall-back time change along with the earth's natural predilection to giving us more dark hours in the winter.
This, combined with suddenly cold temperatures, makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a fuzzy blanket and a cup of cocoa, and it's only early evening.
I find I want to sleep more and consume food for my barely functioning body during this winter hibernation. I consume sweets to give myself a boost of energy to trudge out and tackle chores.
Early season snowstorms only compound the problem. When it takes so long to drive anywhere, not to mention needing to plow your way out and back home, it takes away the sense of urgency.
Willpower, what's that?
Until I adjust my brain to embrace the idea of waking and getting up in the dark, going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark, all on icy and snow covered roads. I have to power through even if that means I'm eating all the wrong foods to trick myself into action.
But, I'm open to suggestions.
One publicist touts Justine SanFilippo's new book, Lose Your Inches Without Losing you Mind. The title actually goes on with 10 Simple Weeks to a Slimmer Waistline and a Healthier You. This makes me think that the book title needs to slim down a bit, but I digress. Many of the tips are well-worn, but may be worth repeating.
The first tip is to either maintain an exercise routine throughout the holiday season or start one. The author recommends starting with 30 minutes three times a week, even if that means breaking it up into 15-minute bite-sized segments.
She also recommends incorporating more physical activity into your day, such as using stairs instead of an elevator and parking further away to increase your steps. More is probably better.
The second tip is to eat smaller portions. In other words, go ahead and have pie on Thanksgiving, but try to eat a smaller piece and forgo the whipped cream or ice cream topping.
I find moderation doesn't work for me. If I try to limit portions, I actually crave more. If I make certain things off limits, it works better.
Imagining that it tastes bad, helps sometimes. Envision those picture-perfect manufactured cookies that have virtually no taste at all. It also helps to have a pretty good imagination. If you nibble and find out they taste really good, well all bets are off and the binge is on.
I like tip number three. Workout or go on a long walk before a party or the morning of a holiday. She says if you do that, you'll make healthier choices for the rest of the day. I've found that to be true.
Of course it only works if you're not the one doing the cooking and cleaning to prepare for the party. Cleaning is exercise. Cooking, and tasting as you go, not so much.
Number four tells us that eating earlier on Thanksgiving, say 2-3 p.m. is better than a typical dinnertime meal. The author reasons that it gives you more time to digest your food and perhaps take an after dinner walk.
Maybe so, but I might be more apt to have another piece of pie after that walk. She's got that covered in her fifth tip, which is to have some left-over turkey, instead. Now, we're getting somewhere.
Tip six says to give in to your cravings and nibble just a little from the office gift basket or coworkers' baked goods. A better solution is to bring your own snacks, such as healthier fruit, veggies or nuts. Or, go back to envisioning that they taste bad, just don't reveal that to the coworker who brought them in.
The last four tips pertain to parties. The author advises us to eat a healthy meal before going to the party to avoid temptation and to keep a two drink maximum to avoid losing your inhibitions about binge eating.
The pre-party walk or workout also makes sense here, if you can squeeze it in. The problem is that most of us are running metaphorically just to get to the party on time. Arriving hungry is counterproductive when calorie laden food is on the table.
Tip 10 is to say no to parties, although that seems too extreme to me. If you're on a strict diet, you can always bring a dish to share that has the type of food you should be eating.
Staying out of the kitchen and away from the food table also helps. That way you can drink in and eat up the conversations and friendships that prompted you to attend the party in the first place.
Share your slimming holiday tips. Comment below or contact Rusek at jcooperrusek@gmail.com.
You can take a walk at the Shaker Lakes. Even if you bag the idea of a walk you can support the Shaker Lakes Nature center by dining at The Stone Oven Dec. 2. The restaurant will donate a percentage of its sales to programs at the center.The Stone Oven is located at 2267 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.
Spend a spine-shivering evening with the Largely Literary Theater as you learn about the ghosts of the Civil War 7-8:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Lee Road Branch library.
Mark Dawidziak, representing the North, and Sara Showman, representing the South, will present ghost stories from Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee along with a special section on Abraham Lincoln. Literary pieces by Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and Ohio native Ambrose Bierce will be included. Contact largelyliterary.com or heightslibrary.org.
You can mark your calendar for a seasonal bird walk 8:30-10:30 a.m. Dec. 14 for a walk throughout the Shaker Parklands looking and listening for birds. Meet in the Shaker Lakes Nature Center parking lot the second Sunday of the month. Contact 216-321-5935 or shakerlakes.org.