Holiday Survival Guide Checklist To Get You Through The Holidays

Going to a party?​

• Eat a snack before going to the party to avoid showing up hungry and making poor food choices. This way, you can have tastes of everything without over indulging.
• Bring a healthy dish along, so you know there is at least one healthy option for you.
  
• At the party, make a plate instead of having one hors d'oeuvre at a time (you'll be able to SEE the food you're consuming). And don't stand near the display of food, mingle! 
  
• And alcohol...try to avoid high sugar/high calorie drinks (egg nog, punches, etc.) White wine spritzer's work, or slowly sip on a glass of red wine.

​Always ask yourself if the calories are really worth it. If you say yes, eat it without the guilt and ENJOY!
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Eat clean & healthy most meals so you can avoid the guilt when you have a holiday treat. Set your boundaries, and enjoy your food!  Here are some quick, healthy, easy recipes to make for those hectic days:
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• 5 minute oatmeal: Breakfast, lunch or anytime oatmeal. So unbelievably easy, filling and healthy...my favorite!
• Vegan Black Bean Quesadilla:  Delicious!!!...and leftovers are great for the next day.  I use whole grain tortillas.  Serve this with a big salad, salsa, and sliced avocado.  You can use plain yogurt instead of sour cream if you like.
• Butternut Squash and Apple Soup:  OMG, my new weekly staple.  LOVE it!  Serve with whole grain toast and sliced avocado and tomato.
• Broccoli and Leak Soup:  One of my old favorites.  Delicious, easy to make, and makes a large portion.
• Quick Cassoulet:  Okay, so I was told by my French husband that this is nothing like the REAL "cassoulet", but, he did say it was a fantastic "stew".  It has quickly become a staple.

No time to get to the gym? No problem! Try one of these quick workouts in the comfort of your own home:
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• Beginner Power Yoga workout - 15 minutes
• Beginner/Intermediate Cardio and Strength - 27 minutes
• Intermediate Level Workout - using 3-10 lb. dumbbells, 30 minutes
• High Intensity 10 Minute Cardio Workout - 10 minutes

​Or bundle up and go for a brisk walk outside for 30 minutes. Do an extra lap at the mall, but power walk - don't stop in the stores! Or do anything that gets your heart rate up for 10-30 minutes:  dance, hike, jump rope, ski, sled, snow shoe, split/stack firewood, shovel snow, punch a punching bag, mountain climbers...anything your heart desires! Really, really, have NO time...just do 15 jumping jacks, 1 minute of plank, 12 push-ups, rest, 15 jumping jacks, 1 minute of plank, 12 push-ups. You'll instantly feel better!
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4.  Feeling stressed? Try this relaxing yoga sequence with downloadable playlist.  Or the mindful meditation app "Headspace" on your smartphone or their website:  www.HeadSpace.com.

5.  Be thankful.  Enjoy yourself, your family, and your friends.  Have FUN!

"Love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle"

Happy Holidays!
Jennifer

P.S.  I received this and had to share...LOVE IT!

The Magic Bank Account (author unknown, found in the billfold o Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, Alabama after he died in 1982)

Imagine that you had won the folowing *PRIZE* in a contest:

-  Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. 

However, this prize has the following rules:

1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
3. You may only spend it.
4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account $86,400 for that day.
5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, "Game Over!"  It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do? You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right? ACTUALLY, this GAME is REAL.

Shocked???? YES!

Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can't seem to see it.  The PRIZE is *TIME*

1. Each morning we awaken to received 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.
2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited to us.
3. What we haven't used in that day is forever lost.
4. Yesterday is forever gone.
5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING...

So, what will you do with your 86,400 seconds? Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think. So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start "spending"..."Don't complain about growing old...!" Some people don't get the privilege!

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