6 Tips to Maintaining Self-Control Over the Holidays

If you're like me, you've spent too many post-holiday days trying to make up for the damage of overindulging in holiday snacks and foods. Holidays are filled with trigger foods and temptations that cause you to forget your health goals and eat too many unnecessary calories that will have you feeling defeated for days afterwards. So here are my favorite tips to maintaining self-control and stating on track over the holidays!

From my instagram

1. If you don't want to feel like a cow, don't graze like a cow
Often times there are a lot snack foods laying out for people to eat in between meals. However if you're like me, this temptation ruins my self-control over the holidays. I've mindlessly eaten these snacks and won't be hungry by the time the big meal rolls around.

So I came to this conclusion- if I don't want to feel like a cow, I don't need to graze all day like a cow. Cows spend their day walking around a field eating. That's not how I want to spend my holidays. For me, the mental and emotional effects of snacking all day for several days is worse than the weight gain. I would rather maintain self-control around snacks and eat nutrients during mealtime to feel confident and in control!


2. Drink water, not your calories
Not only will drinking water keep your cravings at bay, but reaching for water over alcoholic drinks will keep your calorie intake at bay too.

If you're like me, the sweeter the drink, the better. But the empty calories from mimosas with breakfast, margaritas at lunch and wine at dinner add up really quickly. In addition to that, consuming sugar makes you crave sugar. So you're more likely to eat yet more cookies, fudge, or pie.

If beer is more your style, I don't have to tell you how heavy you'll feel after the empty calories of a few brewskis. Beer + an endless supply of Christmas treats + a big family meal makes for one miserable feeling person.

Instead, stick to water through the day and have a drink or two with your meal.

3. Be intentional about your food choices
Before being tempted by food, decide your game plan and stick to it. If you eat nutrients first, you'll have less room for the unhealthy foods. You can also make a deal with yourself - skip the mashed potatoes at dinner and you can have a Christmas cookie. If you use a food journal or food tracking app, log your food ahead of time so you're less likely to overeat.

4. Make time to exercise
I must exercise during the holidays. It's my sanity and my "me" time. It's when I can take some time away from socializing and just relax. Even if I sneak away for only 10 minutes, i make exercise part of my daily routine.

Exercise not only gives you a break, but it gives you endorphins, you'll burn calories, and it gets you away from the tempting food staring you down all day.


5. Converse away from the kitchen
Because women work in the kitchen, the other women congregate to the kitchen to talk and catch up. Where is all the food? The kitchen. What do people do mindlessly? Eat. Put the two together and you can again easily eat your calories before sitting down to eat the meal you've helped prepare! So step out of the kitchen to catch up with family. Or...

6. Chew gum or {brush your teeth} to stop from snacking!
This is my favorite trick to keep from eating mindlessly. I hate to throw away a fresh piece of gum, and I don't want to ruin my freshly-brushed teeth by eating a brownie {or another sugary treat}. So keep an extra packet of gum in your pocket and keep your toothbrush handy!

Although keep in mind, life is about balance and celebration! You'll never get these days with your loved ones back, so cut yourself a little slack and enjoy a treat or two!

If I can't have snow, give me sand!

I've been so busy over the last two weeks that I'm trying to hurry and catch up!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, filled with relaxation, delicious food and lots of love!

This is the first Christmas away from my family, so I was definitely sad to not join in our Christmas traditions. But the beaches and golf courses in San Diego isn’t anything to be sad about, no matter the time of year!

Christmas Eve we drove to Lake Forest, CA to hear the most AMAZING preacher, Rick Warren. I’ve written multiple posts about how Rick Warren has changed my life, so it was such a blessing to hear him in person on Christmas Eve!

Driving through Saddleback was like driving on a college campus. But navigating was pretty easy because we pretty much just followed traffic.

 Before I got out of the car I had to remind myself that I was going to church, not a concert. I couldn't go crazy wild and scream when Pastor Rick came out on stage, and I couldn't cheer for an encore afterwards. Turns out that both of those things required all of my self control.

Walking up to the worship center we saw that the kids had a play area with fake snow and sledding. 

With Christmas lights everywhere, we walked up to the worship center, which was beautifully decorated. 

I nearly hyperventilated as I walked into the worship center. It was really big, seating 1,900 people.

The service began and worship was beautiful, bringing tears to my eyes multiple times. 

Then...

Pastor Rick came out! I grabbed my husband's knee and squealed, as I again reminded myself that I couldn't act like I as at a concert. You'd judge me if I posted all of the iPhone burst shots I took of him.

His message was perfect, as always. 

At the end, the worship team came back out as we sang Silent Night, which is my favorite Christmas song! Then I noticed Pastor Rick pointed to the big window at the side of the sanctuary, so I glanced over and noticed they had fake snow falling outside the building... so precious :)

I may or may not have cried when it was over.

Since it was Christmas Eve we couldn't find a place to eat... until we came across the California staple.

In-N-Out Burger. We have one about 3 miles from where I live, but when in Cali...

Since we were traveling and staying at a hotel, I mentioned to the hubs that this would be my first Christmas without a tree on Christmas morning. But Christmas morning I woke up to my present under the tree.

Seriously, how sweet is he? 

I FaceTimed with my family, 

then drank my annual Starbucks in front of the fireplace (ahem... TV).

The hubs gave me the BEST photo album of my marathon photos! I definitely cried when I opened this.

Then drank mimosas while watching "It's a Wonderful Life," my all-time favorite Christmas movie.

I may have sent my Christmas card out a little late this year...

Then we headed to a nearby golf course.

It may have been Southern California, but it was COLD and I only lasted 6 holes, so I became the official photographer of the round.

It was SUPER cold as the sun began to set, but God painted a beautiful sunset.

This is the view of the ocean from the golf course.

Then we had dinner at a restaurant on the resort's property.

It was a Christmas to remember, that's for sure! I felt so blessed, especially being able to see Rick Warren speak in person. When I was first diagnosed with MS I started to think of all the things I hoped to accomplish while I was still in good health. Hearing Rick speak was one of them. I feel so blessed.

I hope your Christmas was as blessed as mine!

The best breakfast place ever. period.

You know when it's a great vacation when you've lost track of time, so you look back at your pictures to help distinguish days but only find pictures of food and running a long the beach. And it would include naps but it's weird for someone to take pictures of you sleeping.

Monday we went to breakfast heaven. Not even kidding.

Amazing mimosas.

And even better food. My pancake flight is made up of cinnamon roll, sweet potato and blueberry danish pancakes. All gluten-free, all the best thing I've ever eaten (with or without gluten).

After nap time, we walked to the beach to watch the sun set.

Isn't this a super cool picture?

I love him.

You'll be happy to know that we found a fantastic Mexican food restaurant with great margaritas and salsa. Crisis averted. Plus they had delicious queso and a mariachi band playing Christmas songs at each table. Very festive!

We needed to run off some of the deliciousness we consumed the day before, so we went for another quick run along the beach.

Followed by an intense game of tennis. 

Normally I would insert a breakfast or lunch picture now, but because we ate so much the day before, we weren't hungry until late in the afternoon. So we watched the sun set from the pool.

Then we ate our meal of the day on a patio next to a fireplace.

I love San Diego.

I hope you're having a fantastic and restful Christmas Eve! We've got some super exciting plans for tonight, so stay tuned!

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Let's chat!

• What are your plans for Christmas? Have you traveled anywhere, or did family come to your house?
• What restaurant would be your food heaven?

Getting to know you!

Y'all know me pretty well, so now I want to get to know YOU!  With the holidays coming up, let's start with festive questions! Be sure you comment below to answer the following questions:

1. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
2. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
3. What is the top item on your Christmas wish list?
4. If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would it be?
5. What's something that is always in the fridge?

Here are my answers:

1. My brother and I waking up at 5:30 Christmas morning to look at all the presents under the tree, then watching "A Christmas Story!"

2. It's a toss up between It's a Wonderful Life, Elf and Charlie Brown Christmas.

3. Movies to show to my media students

4. Janae Jacobs! She blogs for a living, runs really far every day, eats yummy food and has a precious daughter! My 2015 resolution is to become more like Janae. Here's when I got to meet Janae :)

5. Apples! I NEED my apple every day.


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Let's chat!
Be sure to comment and answer the 5 questions above!

Plan of Attack: 4th of July Survival

I love the 4th of July! I love festive holidays that require you to relax and spend time with family!! This year, my husband and I are going to the mountains with his family and I could not be more excited! I've got big plans for relaxing, golfing and running throughout the weekend! Since I've been on a roller coaster of eating issues lately, I've been creating a plan of attack when it comes to food over the holiday. Since we'll be out of town, I can't very easily do my routine meal planning, and we'll likely be eating out a lot. So my biggest personal focus over the holiday will be to begin the day by getting my mind and heart in the right place by going on a hike, praying, and reading the Daniel Plan.

Don't these look yummy! Find them here!

I've compiled a lot of great tips when it comes to food and activities throughout the weekend! Here are good reminders of do's and don'ts when it comes to diet and exercise over the 4th of July:

Do's

• Drink plenty of water! Whether you're festivities are outdoors or indoors, be sure you're staying hydrated. A good way to remember how much water to drink is by taking your weight, divide it in half, and drink that many ounces in water. For example, someone who weighs 200 pounds should drink 100oz. of water each day.

Here's a delicious tip - add berries and water to an ice tray, freeze the water into ice, then place the cubes into water to add a sweet flavor to your water! Click here to see to see the full recipe!

• Go outside and play! Whether it's running, grilling, playing washers, swimming, etc. enjoy your company {or lack thereof} and relax by enjoying the outdoors! You'll burn calories and work up an appetite!
• Eat the healthiest foods first! Fruits and vegetables will make you fuller faster, so you won't eat as many of the sides, bread and meat.

Click here to see the source of this picture.

• Eat dessert! Just keep it small. Remember portion sizes when it comes to the sweet desserts. The difference between a small portion and a large portion can be hundreds of calories. A craving can be satisfied in 2-3 bites, so don't eat the entire apple pie in one sitting.

That looks like my kind of dessert! Click here to see it!

Don'ts

• Don't skip meals to save calories for later! Skipping meals can lead to overeating and low blood sugar, and therefore, bad choices.
• Graze on food. Eat true meals rather than snack all day. You'll likely consume more junk calories by eating here and there, rather than sitting down for a meal because your mind won't register that your body is satisfied and doesn't need to eat anymore.
• Eat the chips, crackers and bread. These are generally snack-y foods that have a lot of carbs that you're unlikely to burn off. They may taste yummy, but the sugar in these items will cause insulin spikes and crashes like candy. Redirect your calories to something more filling a bigger portion of meat or vegetables.

Here are extra tips from my friends on Facebook and Instagram:

• Terri {an awesome health coach} – Eat ahead of time. Eat protein, fiber and fat. Skip the bun. If you're going to drink alcohol, make sure it's grain-free and refined-sugar free if possible. Food doesn't have power over you, that's a lie. Enjoy your friends and family!
• Margi – I eat frozen grapes for when it's hot and I want a cold treat!
• Danielle P. – Start the morning with a workout! You'll be much more likely to stay on track after you've worked hard in the morning! 
• Emily – Be intentional. If you're going to give yourself permission to indulge, then enjoy! If you want to stay on track, then plan & mentally commit to it. 
• Chrissy – Consider bringing your own food to share (chicken you can throw on the grill, fruit salad, etc.) so you know something healthy will be there. Also, watch the alcohol - a weekend full of drinking can easily add up to 1000-2000 calories. Switch out booze with water/seltzer, which will help cut down on excess and also keep you hydrated better in the hot weather.
• Danielle T. – pick a day to eat/drink whatever you want within reason, and keep to your schedule as much as possible on the other days. For me, I plan to eat whatever on that holiday 
• Kristen S. – They're holiDAYS not holiWEEKS. Enjoy the best of the day then back on track the next morning. 
• Kaila – Don't deprive yourself of your favorites! The more you restrict the more you likely are to overeat things that you're not actually going to enjoy.
• Emily – Going with the mindset that you are allowing yourself to have a treat or something that you don't usually have is key. Going to a party and thinking you aren't "allowed" to have something you enjoy leads to wanting it more or eating more to try and compensate for not having it. Remember that you can't lose 5 lbs in a day and you also can't gain it in a day. It's the long-term choices that make the big differences.
• Esther – Stay HYDRATED! Choose a few things to sample, but fill up with mostly yummy and healthy items. Particiate in a 5k walk or run in the morning if you can, or do one on your own!

Let's chat!

• What are your 4th of July plans?!
• What are some of your tips and tricks to having a relaxing and fun holiday?

Happy Birthday! and 6 Months Ago...

First of all,
HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO MY LITTLE BROTHER! The Lord truly blessed our family 18 years ago with a kid who is now my hero, inspiration and best friend! He follows the Lord daily and he's got an incredibly bright future of continuing the Lord's work.

Happy, happy birthday, My Sweet Conner!

On another note, 6 months ago today I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. As you can imagine, my life hasn't been the same since. As strange as it seems, my life has been better in the last 6 months because the Lord is working in my heart in so many ways. I've taken steps towards helping my future self by eating healthier, getting on medication, and continuing to exercise regularly (my running has never been better! Stay tuned!)

When I was first diagnosed, I was terrified. But one round of steroids (with my second dose being on my 25th birthday), 65 self injections, several doctors appointments, multiple blood tests, two MRIs, hundreds of prayers and many hours of research later, I'm dominating this disease!

Here's a selfie of me at 5:30 in the morning doing my steroid dose on my birthday. You can see that I was watching Breaking Bad (the best show ever) to help pass the time, while I indulged in powdered sugar donuts. I was drinking lemonade because the steroid made everything taste like metal and it was the only way I could tolerate water.

One of the scary things about MS is that no one can predict where the disease will take the person and each day can be different. But one thing I'm absolutely confident in is that the Lord is not surprised by my diagnosis and the He will make good from this.

Romans 8:28 says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I'm not sure what good will come from it, but He will make something good because of it. One of the reasons why I openly blog about my journey is because I hope to be a source of hope and encouragement for someone in the future who is looking for help. I'm trying to be what I needed when I was first diagnosed. 

While most days are great, I still have my moments of depression, anxiety and fear. One day I randomly came across a startling and depressing statistic regarding those with MS. I was talking to my sister about it and about how I was scared because I'm fighting against the odds. She said one of the most encouraging, motivating and sweetest things I've ever been told: 

"Just remember every story is different and you are not a statistic, you are a person God has a great plan for."

Then she gave me a list of encouraging scriptures stating how the Lord has good plans for our lives and how we can do anything through Him.

I'm not sure where I'll be in another 6 months, 6 years or 6 decades, but rest assured that the Lord will make good of this, just as He can make good out of all things!

Christmas Eve Eve Run and Festivities

I actually met my goal of running 5 miles yesterday! I ran it in 53 minutes, so a little slower than what I hoped, but I think running hills that I’m not used to, or in uneven fields when there was no asphalt or concrete, it slowed me down a bit.

So one of my biggest…concerns… about running (or even walking, for that matter) is that a bird is going to poop in my hair. Well, I thought it happened during my run yesterday. I was running under the clear, blue sky – I wasn’t under a tree or anything. Then I felt something light hit my head. Of course, my first thought was that it was a bird, but I didn’t have anyone around to ask! So, thanks to my super-nifty iPhone 4s, I took a picture of myself to check.

Thankfully, it was nothing. So I continued on :)

After my run, I ate a salad and watched Billy Madison, one of the funniest and most quotable movies ever.

Then I decided to make my Grandma’s famous chocolate cake for my hubb’s (my new blog name for my husband) family’s Christmas dinner (Christmas 1 of 2).

And of course, I unashamedly licked the batter and icing bowl clean. Although I forgot to take a picture of the finished product.

In order to make this blog slightly more confusing, before we went to the Hubb’s family’s Christmas, we decided to open Christmas presents with his immediate family first.


We all knew that his parents are taking us to Disney World next week as our Christmas presents, but they hadn’t told his two nieces yet (7 and 10 years old). So his mom created a game out of all their presents to where they would eventually figure out they were going to Disney World.
We had all talked about and imagined how their sweet little faces would look when they found out they were going to Disney World…


They started crying. Not happy crying or sad crying. But overwhelmed, scared, didn’t-know-what-to-think crying. Not really the reaction we expected. But after talking to them about all the super-fun things we were going to do, they slowly began to get more excited.

As a matter of fact, they had Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes for breakfast this morning, so I think they’re excited.


And of course, I ended the night by drinking a bottle of wine by the Christmas tree.

Anyway, my goal for today was to run three miles. And I’m not sure that’s going to happen. It’s cold outside and I didn’t bring my running pants. Plus, my throat is getting sore. I hope I’m not getting sick. If I don’t run today, I’ll run tomorrow morning before we open presents… at least that’s the plan.


How are you going with your holiday goals?
Do the kids you know cry when they’re surprised or overwhelmed?
Do you plan on working out on Christmas Day?