"Maintain, Don't Gain" Week 3-- Find Your Way to Healthier Eating Habits

Here's an abridged version of an article found in the Week 3 Challenge newsletter. Sign up for the Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge to read the whole article.

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Survive Slip-Ups

The holidays are full of ups and downs... If the roller coaster ride carries over to your eating habits, it's time to adopt some new strategies to keep you on a steady path.

* ... Throw out the "good food"/"bad food" mentality. You may be doing more harm than good when you think about eating a cookie as doing something wrong.... Work it into your plan and then you can enjoy it guilt-free.

* Plan ahead.... This will keep you from being tempted to run to a fast food restaurant on the road. Busy days are also perfect days for leftovers....

* ... One slip-up is not going to ruin you, nor is it an excuse to give up altogether. To get back on track, focus on the present, and tune in to your body. If you feel full, stop eating. If you find that you are hungry later, don't punish yourself and deprive yourself of food....

* ... don't expect yourself to be perfect. There is a lesson to every setback, so learn from those moments when you wish you'd made a different decision....