By Wilma Young
It’s the beginning of the year. You have applied yourself to a healthy lifestyle and have made some positive strides towards this goal. Your pants aren’t quite as tight and the holiday fatigue seems to be waning. Then it appears, in the horizon, you can see the fat laden 7 layer dip with a side of corn chips nestled between a case of beer and a hot dog the size of the Goodyear blimp and you go weak in the knees. This is the first big “food-fest” of the year and it is a time that you can be tested. I have seen the ads for the football shaped cupcakes and the touchdown brownies but you will NOT score with these foods. Even if you make it to the end zone you will ultimately lose the Big Game! I want to encourage during this weekend to be strong. Have a protein shake or a small meal before you go to a party so that you will be less tempted to partake in these sidelining foods. Choose the veggie tray with salsa as your snack instead of the chips and cheese. Choose the BBQ chicken instead of the hot dogs and hamburgers and if necessary keep an “emergency” protein bar in your purse so that you don’t become the Big Bad Wolf when you see the little red flags of pseudo-food. If you can make it through Sunday by making better food choices 80% of the time you will be well on your way to the best year of your life. You will have proven to yourself that you can go to parties and eat well, be with friends and family and not salivate over the fatty foods and you can improve your body, mind and spirit. You will win big at the game of life and isn’t that really what winning is all about?
Tags: Nutrition