Surviving Turkey Day!

Here are just a few tips to help you get through the holidays without ruining all your hard work:

- Eat your regular meals all day until the "big one". This will keep you from being too hungry when it's time to indulge. I do this, and I find that I'm satisfied with much smaller portions than what I used to have in the past.

-Get in a good, sweaty workout the morning of the big feast. When I have a good workout, I'm always more likely to make smart choices. Who wants to go load up on junk when you just worked so hard? Even if you only have a short period of time, get in some sweat - you will feel good, make smarter choices, and not feel bad for indulging a little.

-Don't hover around the food table. At many events, there is a table set up with snacks - don't hang around it! Sometimes this is hard since most people hang around the snack table, but try to get away, or stick to the veggies.

-Keep your hands busy! Constantly keep water on hand, help out with the cooking, play with the kids, take pictures - keep your hands busy and they will less likely be caught in the snack bowl. :)

-Alternate your drinks. If you're going to have a drink or two, alternate them with a glass of water. Make it a rule to not have a second drink until you've had a glass of water. You will consume less calories, and hydrate! :)

-If you are cooking, see if there are ways to lighten up your recipes. Use Splenda, or whole wheat flour. There are many things you can do to lighten up a recipe without taking anything away from it.

-Get right back to your plan the next day! Allow yourself to enjoy the holiday meals, but just get back to your plan the next day. A day off is perfectly fine, and necessary - just don't let it turn in to a week or more off. :)

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! Enjoy the food and the tradition, but most importantly, enjoy the time you get to spend with loved ones, and take a minute to think about all the things you are truly thankful for. :)

Pumpkin Pancakes - YUM!

I was really in the mood for pumpkin pie today, so decided to try out a recipe for pumpkin pancakes so I could just count it towards my carbs. I got a recipe from my Savage coaches and made some adjustments. They turned out SO good!

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

1 can (15oz) of pumpkin puree - NOT pumpkin pie filling

2/3c oatmeal - I put mine in my food processor and grinded them up so it was like flour, but regular oats will work the same

2/3c whole wheat flour

1-2 scoops of vanilla whey protien powder - I used one since I counted this as a carb and not a "meal"

8 egg whites or 1c liquid egg whites

2tsp baking powder

2tsp vanilla

2tsp pumpkin pie seasoning

1tsp cinnamon - or more to taste

I also added 2 packets of stevia (you can use splenda too), and a small squirt (abt 1tbsp) of sugar free maple syrup since I didn't plan to top them with syrup.

Mix all ingredients well, use 1/4c measuring cup to measure out portions and pour onto skillet. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar free syrup. Makes 8 1/4c servings.

I ate one, and threw a few in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. I'll just pull them out when I need a quick carb and they are ready to eat. Great for on the go, and SO yummy! Perfect treat for this time of year! I am going to make a batch sometime in the future for breakfast, I can't wait!! :) Enjoy.

(the picture isn't of mine, but they looked just like it! photo from wholelifenutrition)