Did you "survive" the Thanksgiving holiday?

Getting through the everyday routine is stressful enough, but the holidays can definitely turn it up a notch. After Thanksgiving and Black Friday holiday schedules kick into high gear with holiday shopping, parties, and family get-togethers. To make it through without blowing a fuse (or your budget), here are some tips to stay fit and healthy, both in body and mind:

1. Take a Step Back

Remember that the holidays are about sharing time with loved ones and, for many, celebrating your faith. Don’t let a long to-do list or gift shopping prevent you from making the most of the season. Make a promise to enjoy all that is wonderful about this time of year.

2. Stay Active

The holidays bring fat-laden and sugary temptations galore, from the hearty buffet tables at parties to the seasonal Hershey Kiss-filled candy jars at work. Increasing your calorie intake will translate to added weight. Stay extra active by taking a walk during your lunch hour, parking your car far away from the store entrance when you’re out shopping, or taking the stairs at the mall instead of the elevators. Make sure you are at least as active as you regularly are. Be creative—play a few rounds of charades after dinner with your family.

3. Stick to a Schedule

Keep track of all your obligations in your planner or your Google Calendar. Schedule appointments with yourself to research or purchase holiday gifts. Set a budget and make a list of gifts you plan to purchase and compare prices online to find out where the best deals are. This will not only prevent last-minute impulse shopping, but will also keep your checkbook under control (and will keep the post-holiday stress at bay!).

4. Plan Your Calories

There are plenty of healthy recipe options for big family dinners. Planning ahead and checking out different resources, whether in cookbooks or on the Internet, will help you make the best choices for your waistline.

5. Give Back

Give toys to a collection drive, or donate canned foods to the local food bank, which are facing an increasing need during the holidays. Doing something extra for others is a good reminder to ourselves of all we’ve been blessed with, and sometimes that’s all we need to keep a bit of perspective during the holiday season.

What are you doing to stay stress-free this holiday season?

By Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD

How will you handle the "Eating Season?

We are now a couple of weeks into what I like to call the “Eating Season”. It starts off with that creepy yet sugary holiday Halloween. Where we buy bags and bags of candy to give away to soon to be obese children but end up eating most of it ourselves. It then picks up steam as we move closer to the crown jewel of gluttony Thanksgiving. Things really get rolling to what must be a spandex chimney on December 25th. And just as soon as we almost get the table cleared from that we then must celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of what we hope to be a better one. We make those New Year's resolutions then we are once again attacked buy a celebration that has to be number by the Romans, The Super bowl. This is our last excuse for sweat pants and elastic waist bands. So in defense of all of that I have put together a list to help me and maybe others fight off the beast. “Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year!”

50 ways to lose your blubber
1. Schedule your workouts
2. Drink more water
3. Watch your carb intake
4. Walk more
5. Go to the gym
6. Reward yourself without food
7. Don’t shop for comfort
8. Eat 5 small meals a day
9. Give up cheese
10. Make meals a special time
11. Read diet or fitness magazines
12. Join Weight Watchers
13. Have a weight goal
14. Associate with thin people
15. Exercise 6 days a week
16. Get a fitness partner
17. Keep records of weight and exercise
18. Don’t have a sugar bowl
19. Don’t be afraid to throw food away
20. Only eat ½ your meal
21. Watch less television
22. Picture yourself thin
23. Lift weights
24. Mix up your exercise routine
25. Buy less food
26. Eat at home
27. Take your measurements
28. Take vitamins
29. Burn more calories
30. Have a stationary bike at home and use it
31. “Eat mor chikin”
32. Workout in the morning
33. Eat oatmeal for breakfast
34. Get a personal trainer
35. Sign up for a boot camp
36. Vary your workout plan
37. Take an exercise day off
38. Eat more fish
39. Don’t eat anything white
40. If it taste good spit it out
41. Sign up for a race
42. Breathe
43. Get at least 8 hours of sleep
44. Weigh every day
45. Buy some good running shoes
46. Buy some new workout clothes
47. Have your body fat measured
48. Shop with a list
49. Make a weekly menu
50. Remember sweat will not kill you.

Is there a "right way" to grieve?

Let me answer that immediately: There is no one "right way" to grieve. Losses are inevitable and are ever present in all lives. Death is universal. Grief is universal. We all must cope with bereavement at some stage in our lives. Even though death can be separated into two categories, long-term illness and sudden death, all death is sudden.
The finality of death brings to those left behind a tremendous amount of emotional pain. Grief is not something abnormal; rather, it is a normal and inevitable step in our journey through life. Two simple definitions of grief are
1) the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern or behavior.
2) a normal, natural and painful emotional reaction to loss. We can grieve not only for the passing of a human life, but also for the death of a relationship (divorce) or we can suffer the same emotional reactions over the loss of a beloved pet. Grieving is difficult because it involved many intense feelings – love, sadness, fear, anger, relief, compassion, hate, or happiness to name a few.
Not everyone experiences all of these feelings but many in the grieving process experience several of them at the same time. The feelings are intense, disorganizing and can be long lasting. Grieving often feels has been described as drowning in a sea of painful emotions.

Grieving is difficult work. The following are some suggestion to help in navigating the journey through grief.

-Take time. Don’t let others rush you into “getting over” your feelings.

-Don’t make major decisions. The time of grief is a time of instability.

-Avoid the temptation to use alcohol or drugs to numb the painful feelings.

-Cry. Tears are the healthiest expression of grief. Don’t try to hold back crying for the sake of others.

-Know that there will be good days and bad days. Pangs of intense grief can surface during holidays, significant events such as birthdays or anniversaries.

-Remember the loved one often and as much as you need to. Look at photographs, read old letters and retell your memories to friends and other members of the family.

-Seek people who will understand your need to talk about what happened. Seek out people who will really listen to your remembrances.

-Allow yourself time to heal. Pay attention to your health. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Get outside in the sunshine for exercise
or a mild walk.

-Ask for what you need from others. Accept what help they offer. Now is not the time to try to do everything by yourself.

-Seek out grief counseling if you feel you cannot cope alone. Grief counseling is available through community resources, churches and licensed therapists. Join a grief support group. Local community papers will usually have listings. Use the Internet and join an electronic bulletin board dedicated to supporting individuals who have lost loved ones.

-Remember your grief is individual to you. Not everyone’s grief is identical to yours. You will share some similarities with others, but grieving is a very personal and very individual process.