The way I see the holidays is that it’s a special time of year that is meant to be enjoyed with family and friends, while gathering around the food we share. Here are a few tips that have allowed me to enjoy the holidays in a balanced way!

1. The FIRST FEW BITES are what counts!

Have you ever noticed how a child eats a dessert? It takes them what seems to be forever to finish eating! They truly enjoy every bite! Now let’s think about how adults typically eat.  Often the treat is gone before we ever realize what we ate!  If we ever stop to consider at what point the food was is enjoyable, we would realize it is in the first few bites.  Since there are plenty of treats surrounding the holiday celebrations, go ahead and indulge a little bit, but as soon as you find yourself losing the enjoyment of the food, stop there!

2. The party is about MORE than what is on your PLATE!

Food is an element of a celebration, but not the defining factor, or the most important thing. If you keep this in mind when you’re on your way to a party, you can remind yourself that spending time with family and friends is the highlight of the event.  This helps take the focus off the food and puts it back on the things that matter most.

3. Pay attention to when you’re truly FULL, and then STOP!

One way to prevent overeating is by eating small frequent meals throughout the day. If you’re truly hungry, eat something small and rich in protein, (my personal favorite snack is a Chobani Greek yogurt). When you finally sit down to eat a meal, you will be able to properly pay attention to your body’s hunger cues! Also, try to pay attention to your body! It will tell you when it’s had enough.  If you respect what it’s telling you, you won’t have to deal with the consequences later (feeling sluggish, lethargic, overly-stuffed… all of which are sure to suck the fun out of any celebration). Remember, just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean that you won’t eat anything wonderful again.  Go ahead and pick something you enjoy, but take your time to savor it.  By eating slowly, you’ll be able know when to stop when your body says you’ve had enough.

4. It’s OK to say NO!

I have learned that I can’t let what others think or say affect how I treat my body, or what I put into it.  During the holiday, many people are offering foods left and right.  I have learned that If I’m truly full, it is ok to be  honest and politely say, “No thank you”.  As hard as it is, we don’t have to explain ourselves to people.  Even if you’re worried about people being offended, stop worrying.  It’s your body.  Most people will respect you when you politely say no. The great thing about this is, it allows you to say yes to the things you truly do enjoy this time of year!

5. BRING your OWN dish to pass!

If you bring your own dish to pass, you can bring something that is tasty and healthy! Here’s where Dashing Dish comes in…

This holiday season, I will be hosting a special event called~ DASHING DISH’S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS~ where I will be sharing a healthy holiday recipe every other day in the month of December! These recipes will be healthier version of your favorite holiday treats, and are sure to be crowd pleasers!  I can’t wait to share some of my most beloved holiday recipes with all of you! See you all tomorrow~ (December 1st)~ for the start of this fun and exciting event!

As a way of celebrating the kick-off of this holiday event, Chobani offered to host a giveaway for me! The winner will receive a case of Chobani (12 count of assorted cup varieties) as well as a 32 oz. of 0% plain Greek yogurt for cooking and baking!

All you have to do to enter is share this announcement:

Join @DashingDish and her 12 days of Christmas – A month full of healthy holiday recipes on http://www.dashingdish.com December 1st-24th

on Twitter or Facebook (each count as a separate entry) – Be sure to @me. I will announce the winner on December 7, 2011!

So here is to the holiday season in an enjoyable, healthy, and balanced way! Also, be sure to check out My “How to Stay Healthy this Holiday Season” post over at Chobani!

I’ve found that it’s the little thing that have really helped me enjoy and continue on my journey to healthy living! As a way of saying THANK YOU to all of the amazing people that support Dashing Dish, I would like to share a few of these ‘little pleasures’ that have made living a healthy lifestyle all the more enjoyable!

Three Winners Will Receive:

• Nu Naturals Stevia- A 50ct  box of NuStevia Packets and a bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid. I love this brand of stevia, because after trying many brands out there, it’s the only one that I can say doesn’t have a funny aftertaste, and it tastes just like sugar!
• Power Body ICE with Jody Trierweiler DVD- An intermediate to advanced workout, that really get’s you working! And no equipment is needed, so you now you never have an excuse not to workout! Workout DVD’s have been a lifesaver for me when I’m running short on time, but need to fit a workout in my day! This one is particularly amazing, and was created by one amazing lady who loves the Lord!

To enter this giveaway you could do one of two things:

• Find your favorite Dashing Dish recipe, and put a link back to it on your Facebook page!
• If you have a website, mention, and put a link back to your favorite Dashing Dish recipe on your site!

Then leave a comment here saying that you did!

Winners will be announced on August 9, 2001~ which is one week from today! Good Luck and Thank You again for all your love and support!!!

I frequently get e-mails asking many of the same types of questions, (which by the way, I love e-mails from you!) So I decided it’s about time that I do a post answering some of the most frequently asked questions that I receive!

• Where Do You Get NuStevia? I buy my stevia from Amazon, (that’s the only place I’ve found that I can buy it in bulk for cheap)! Otherwise  you can find it at GNC and WholeFoods!
• What Type of Protein Powder Do You Use and Where Do You Buy It? I use Designer Whey Protein Powder. I buy the vanilla flavor because it’s a good base to add whatever flavors you want to make! I buy it from Kroger, GNC, Trader Joe’s, Amazon, or http://www.netrition.com
• What is Your Workout Regimen Like? I generally try to mix it up every week to keep my body guessing, and keep myself from getting bored! I absolutely will not do a workout that I am dreading, because I don’t ever want to associate working out with a ‘bad’ feeling! So..If I ever get bored or don’t feel like doing something, I will try something new! I generally try and find a new class, video, or workout I find online if I’m needing something new! I try and do weights 2 times a week, a circuit or HIIT training 2 times a week, and a cardio once a week! However, I always try and listen to my body and if I’m overly tired that week I will take more days off or lighten the intensity! I have learned that rest is just as important to your body’s health as working out is!
• Where Do I Find Your List of Protein Shake Recipes? In the Recipe Index OR Just Click on This Link: I Can’t Believe It’s Not a Milkshake
• What are Some Healthy Snack Ideas? My favorite healthy snack is a protein shake! I have been making the Frozen Hot Chocolate Shake a lot lately, (especially after a workout), and it is DELICIOUS! It tastes a lot like a Wendy’s frosty… and is nutritious and filling at the same time! I also enjoy Greek yogurt with frozen fruit, Zone Bars (when I’m on the go) and some of my homemade “Vita” Chocolate Muffins!
• How Do I Find Healthy Foods in the Grocery Store? Check out my Ultimate Grocery Shopping List link!
• What Type of Camera Do You Use? My hubby’s the photographer, and he uses a Cannon T2i!
• What is Peanut Flour and Where Do I Buy It? Peanut flour is actually the same thing as ‘FitNutz’ or “PB2” with out the ‘brand name’. It’s a essentially a ‘dry’ form of peanut butter, where the oils are taken out…Making it a ‘low calorie’ version of peanut butter (but it still retains the same peanut butter taste especially when added to a recipe or protein shake!)  I buy mine at Trader Joes or online at  http://www.netrition.com/ (just type peanut flour in search bar).
• What is Your Favorite Meal? My favorite meal is my Asian Chicken Salad! It’s very filling, has sweet and salty flavors, and has a lot of different textures…So it really does hit the spot every time! I also love it because it makes a great portable meal to bring to work!
• Overall, How Do You Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle? Overall, one of the most important things I’ve learned is to truly listen to my body!!! I don’t go by any ‘rules’ or follow any standards, because I know that my body is different than anyone else’s!
• What Are A Few General Tips For Healthier Cooking? I try to cut as much white flour and sugar out of my cooking/baking as possible! There are many great replacements and alternatives that still taste just as great…You just have to know how to work them~ which is where my website comes in!

I was recently talking with a friend who was feeling very frustrated about her lack of progress losing weight, despite her very strenuous efforts. I knew there had to be somewhere that she was missing it, so I began asking questions like…”How often are you working out, about how many calories do you think your eating, etc…”

When she told me she was working out 6 days a week, and eating about 1,300 calories a day~ it was no surprise to me why her weight wasn’t budging…for more than one reason! However, to sum it up, I knew she was not eating enough!

This seems very strange to most people, especially the average person with a ‘dieting mentality’ who has the ever-so-common belief that eating less= losing weight. This is not all there is to losing weight, and if anything, this is simply not true!

I know from personal experience that eating ‘more’ had transformed my body for the better, and I can honestly say that my metabolism is on fire compared to what it used to be when I restricted my calories. However, I decided to do a little more scientific research on this subject to ‘actually prove’ to my friend that she in fact needed to eat more to ‘boost’ her weight loss efforts.

I was alarmed at the amount of research I found proving my theory (and personal experience) true, so I decided to share my findings on the subject! If you are anything like my friend and you find your weight ‘at a stand-still’ despite your intense workouts, and cutting the calories~ this may be just the news for you!

HERE’S WHAT I FOUND BROKEN DOWN INTO A FEW SIMPLE POINTS:

• You need to eat to build muscle and burn body fat. Think of your body as a car, and food being the gas it needs to make it run. If you don’t provide enough ‘gas’ for you body to run on, it will find a way to get the precious energy it needs to keep your vital organs running. This precious energy is found by converting muscle tissue into energy, which results in a loss of muscle mass. Muscle mass is vital for proper metabolic functioning, so even though the scale may say you lost weight, you have really lost muscle, which is the very thing you need to loose weight~ and keep it off!

• If you don’t eat enough your body will think it’s starving and store fat. When your calories are severely restricted, the body thinks it’s entering a prolonged period of time without any food. Your body will then work to conserve energy if you don’t eat – mainly by slowing down your metabolism and storing fat~This is when you enter starvation mode. (Note: Our bodies developed this starvation mechanism as a way to conserve body fat for the long periods of time humans went without food.)
  
  

• To prevent your body from going into ’starvation mode’ you shouldn’t eat fewer than your resting metabolic rate. To determine roughly what your resting metabolic rate is, you can simply multiply your body weight (in pounds) by 10. This is the minimum number of calories that your body needs to lose weight. Consuming fewer calories than your resting metabolism is counteractive, so if your current diet consists of fewer calories than that, consider eating more.

• Next, figure out how much your total daily needs are. If you want to maintain your current weight, this level is found by multiplying your weight by 15. If you want to lose weight, multiply your ideal weight by ten. For example, if your goal is to reach an ideal weight of 140 pounds, your minimal energy requirement is 1400 calories. Next, you need to factor in the calories needed for exercise and activity. Very active people (those who exercise 3 hours or more a week) need to multiply their minimal requirement by 1.5. Moderately active individuals (those who exercise 1 to 3 hours per week) need to multiply their requirement by 1.2.

• Divide your calories evenly throughout the day so that you fuel your body every three to five hours. Start the day with a well-balanced breakfast that includes a lean protein-rich food along with whole grains and veggies or fruit. Breakfast starts your metabolic engine and is associated with successful maintenance of weight loss. Next, eat snacks that are spaced out between meals. Prepare these snacks ahead of time so that they are ready when you need them.

• Nourish your body with quality foods that are high in fiber and protein. One simple way of doing this is by loading half of your plate with fruits and veggies, one-quarter of your plate with whole grains, starchy veggies or beans, and the other quarter with protein-rich foods. This will not only help you put together balanced meals, but keep you full and satisfied for longer~ Yippie!

Moral of the story: You can eventually lose weight by not eating~ It’s called starving. If you reduce your calories enough~ your body will start breaking down it’s muscle tissue, and this will result in weight loss~ but much of this weight loss is due to a loss of  lean muscle. Not eating enough also makes your body increase its emergency ’starvation’ response, which causes your body to ‘hang onto fat’, making it hard to loose weight, and easy to gain the weight back again.

The idea is to keep a constant supply of nutrient rich energy coming in, so your metabolism will run strong and steady. This will not only help you loose weight the healthy way, but it will help you keep it off, and stay strong!