HCG Maintenance Tips for All the Holidays of the Year
After losing weight on the HCG Diet, you may feel a sense of joy and accomplishment,
accompanied by an omnipresent fear of gaining it back. Here are some HCG Maintenace tips for all the holidays of the year to help you prepare for those tempting times that may challenge you in the next 365 days!
New Year’s
At New Year’s parties, there are usually appetizer trays covered with cheese, crackers, and other not-so healthy finger foods. When snacking, you’re more likely to overeat since you cannot physically see all at once how much food you are eating . To help reduce your calorie count, concentrate more on socializing with friends and family. Walk around the room instead of hovering over the food table.
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is known for roses, love, and chocolate. Since chocolate is not maintenance approved, surprise your valentine with a new food that neither of you have tried before, instead of a box of chocolates. Give that special someone an interesting type of fruit like, a kumquat, star fruit, or a pomegranate, all of which are maintenance approved. You will both enjoy eating the yummy healthy fruit and it will be fun sharing a new experience.
St. Patrick’s Day
Skip out on the green beer this St. Patrick’s Day! Most people concentrate on what foods to eat when they are dieting but you must recognize that drinks can have a huge impact on weight control. All alcohol items are either NO’s or Cautionary items while on maintenance because of the large amounts of sugars or starches they contain. For example, did you know that a 12oz beer contains 13 grams of carbs! (Weight Loss Cure Guide- Prinster) So, be mindful of not only your food choices while on maintenance, but also your beverage choices.
Mother’s Day
When planning your Mother’s Day events, skip out on the dinner at a restaurant. You will not only save money by cooking at home and have fun cooking dinner with your family, but you will have better control over what you are eating. Restaurants can hide sugar and starches in food that you would assume to be allowed on maintenance, such as dressings, marinades, and sauces. Of course, ask the kids and your hubby to do the dishes. After all, it is Mother’s Day!
Memorial Day
The warm weather is almost here; concerts, sporting events, and outings with family and friends will begin soon. A very important key to maintenance is to be prepared. Before heading out, prepare maintenance approved snacks like fruit, raw veggies, jerky, or home-made trail mix. Throw these healthy snacks in a bag and take them with you so you will not be tempted.
4th of July
It’s Independence Day! Break out the hamburgers, hot dogs, and barbeque sauce! While cooking this holiday, watch out for the amounts of sugar in your barbeque sauce and other sauces. Many dieters tend to look at just the nutritional value of foods while shopping. To be safe, always look at the ingredients of the food as well. Sugar can be disguised; look for ingredients ending in –ose.
Labor Day
Summertime is almost over, (sad face)! There are just a few days left to enjoy this season, whether it be to have a family get-together, enjoy a beach break, or sneak off for a weekend get-away! During these events, food is usually the main event. Since your meal choices are still limited while on maintenance, volunteer to host the event or offer to bring a dish. This gives you some control over what ingredients are in the meals at your end of summer fling.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a day centered around food. It can be tempting to cheat on this special day of the month. To make things easier, make substitute recipes for the things that regularly tempt you. For example, instead of making mashed potatoes, substitute mashed cauliflower. The consistency is the same and it is a cool new twist of the traditional side dish.
Christmas
Is it possible to celebrate Christmas without cookies and sweets? Do not deprive yourself of the holiday desserts, just limit these types of yummy items. You can try to tweak your favorite recipes, or you can use one of our recipes from the 201 Worry-Free Maintenance Recipe Cookbook. These sweet treats include Chocolate Pecan Torte, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Pie, and even Peanut Butter Cookies.