Hello there, It All Changeslings! My name is Gretchen and I blog about losing weight and taking names over at Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!

After years of yo-yo dieting, depression, and disordered eating, I topped out at my highest (known) weight of 246 lbs. I’ve lost over 60 lbs by embracing clean eating and healing from a previously toxic relationship with food!

May 2009 vs. September 2011My health journey is very much still a work-in-progress. I still have about twenty pounds to go until I feel I can figure out what my “happy weight” is, but unlike all my past attempts, this time I know I’ll make it. Crazy as it sounds, I’m actually enjoying the process of losing weight this time! I still eat good food, I try to be active (though sometimes I have to try really hard, haha) and I have failures and victories just like anybody else.

When I heard that Cynthia was looking for guest posters for this busy holiday season, I was thrilled at the chance to contribute my $0.02! After all, holidays are kinda my thing. Always have been…

 

Always will be.

But navigating the holiday season in a healthy way can be tricky! Cakes, candy, and cookies are thrust upon you from all angles between October and January. Every celebration centers around either drinks, dinner, or dessert (and sometimes all three!) It can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Last year, thanks to some careful planning and the following tips, not only did I manage to NOT gain weight, I actually lost some! And I didn’t sacrifice any of the fun, flavor, or festivities either.

 

Healthify.

Holidays = food. That is simply a fact, and it’s one of the best parts of the holiday season! You get to partake in dishes that you probably only get to eat once or twice a year, and you should never have to feel bad about wanting that. Of course, all that justification doesn’t really do much to make you feel better if you’ve just eaten your body weight in green bean casserole, haha. There are a lot of easy additions you can make to healthify traditional holiday food! Play around with roasted garlic instead of butter in your mashed ‘taters. Use whole wheat flours instead of traditional all-purpose when it comes to dessert. A few simple ingredients can turn a regular holiday staple into a nutritional powerhouse!

Eat often.

With potlucks, parties, and family dinners on the docket, your inclination may be to only nibble on a few hundred calories throughout the day because you’re “budgeting” for dinner. Well I’m sorry to tell you, but that probably won’t work. By the time you get to the potluck, you will be HANGRY. Which means you’ll be that much more likely to make unhealthy choices and overeat. So continue your normal eating habits. Eat, snack, munch, nosh. Then just eat reasonable portions of the food you love at dinner, and don’t feel guilty about it.

Stay active.

I know it’s cold, and I know that it’s much easier to curl up by the fire and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” on TV, but food isn’t the only reason people tend to get a little softer during the holiday season. We have to stay active, too! The winter months bring a whole slew of fun activities with them that can’t be enjoyed year-round: ice skating, snowball fights, sledding, skiing, chilly walks with family… the list goes on. Find something that will motivate you simply to move. For me, that includes having signed up for a Thankgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K, as well as the Hot Chocolate 15K in December!

Indulge.

Yep, you heard read that right. I said that you should indulge. The number one thing that will cause you to fail in sticking to your healthy convictions this holiday season is if you deprive yourself. If you want pie, have pie! Denying yourself of what you really want will probably lead to overeating other things as you try to satisfy your original craving. Just, you know, keep it to a slice or two. They is indulging without OVERindulging.

The bottom line is this: the holidays are a time for fun, friends, and family. Food just happens to bridge a lot of the gaps in between. Do what makes you happy (mentally as well as physically) and have faith that your healthy habits aren’t that easy to kill. Believe me: if I can do it, ANYONE can.

 

If you’re interested in learning more about me, my weight loss, or my obviously adorable pups, please check out my blog! You can also follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and feel free to email me at gretchen@honeyishrunkthegretchen.com.