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Alright, Christmas is now 21 days away. It will be here before we know it but I think that it is time to set aside any unnecessary binging and save my calories for the holidays which by the way are really the night of Dec. 24, Christmas Day, Addyson’s birthday (my granddaughter’s first birthday), New Year’s Eve, and then that is it!! Before we know it, it will be time to be thinking about hot weather clothing. If I start now, being careful, I will be incredibly happy with myself when the warm weather finally does come and I won’t have to diet or endure weeks and weeks of tortuous workouts (which isn’t going to happen). Life will be grand, won’t it? Well, hell yeah! So my plan for this month is to enjoy the Christmas season, bake and cook to my heart’s content but give away most of what I create,(I’ll be making other people very happy, too) and make great substitutions-swap a carb with dinner for a small dessert. Here are a few absolutely delicious ways to enjoy food. It will not feel like being on a diet when eating these foods and it will help get through the holidays will no weight gain, in fact there may even be a loss. I make sure to not skip any meals and I also eat a balanced diet with foods from all food groups!

Breakfasts:(Listed in order of my favorites)

Blueberry Enhanced Blueberry Muffin: Jenny Craig or Weight Watcher’s Frozen Blueberry Muffin covered with ½ -1 cup thawed and heated Wyler’s blueberries. Doesn’t sound like much, but it tastes incredible!!

French Toast with Blueberries and Mixed Fruit: 1 ½ slices of whole wheat bread soaked in eggbeaters, sprinkled with cinnamon, and cooked in pan with Pam. While this is cooking heat ½ cup frozen berries, drain and add 1-2 tbsps. lite maple syrup. Pour over cooked French toast. Real filling and satisfying.

Frosted Cherrios or Cascadian Farm’s Honey Nut Os with cut up fresh strawberries.

Pancakes, turkey sausage, and blueberries. Add maple syrup to the blueberries, less syrup is needed and flavor is not sacrificed.

Cascadian Farms Hearty Morning with a tbsp. of raisins.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars-many varieties that are low calorie, filling, and healthy

Lunches

Include a salad with every lunch. I use a lowfat raspberry vinaigrette mixed with balsamic vinaigrette over a mixed green salad that has cut up strawberries, low fat feta cheese, edamame (soy beans), sweet onions, and some crispy addition on top. This salad accompanies one of these choices:

Turkey or Veggie Burger

Weight Watcher quesadilla

Low fat Meatball stuffed sandwich

Chicken sandwich on a wheat roll with tomato

Dinner

I usually eat a very healthy dinner. Lots of added vegetables. Weight Watcher and Jenny Craig have many, many healthy tasty dinners for those days when time is not plentiful and I just want something quick. To make them more satisfying I add some extra vegetables.

Frozen Lasagna-Cook with ½ pkg. of fresh mushrooms, 1 zucchini, ¼ cup onions added on top. I usually microwave this and it is so filling and delicious.

Turkey Dinner-I substitute the frozen potatoes with frozen butternut and then add fresh broccoli and cauliflower. This bulks it out and makes it very filling.