Stay slim this holiday season

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When it comes to healthy living, December is the month that separates the women from the girls.  This is the month when even the strongest dieters are tempted again and again.  It is the month when women go to parties and are confronted with not one, but ten food items they’d love to wolf down in one sitting.  It is the month when parties, concerts, and shopping disrupt our traditional dates with treadmills and dumbbells.

What to do?  Have a plan so you don’t lose sight of your healthy goals amid the yuletide cheer.  Here’s how to be the savvy woman who navigates December parties with good cheer, revelry, and an unpadded waistline:

Prepare for cocktail parties mentally:

1. Work out as much as you can, knowing that you will have to miss some sweat sessions.  Make an extra effort, though, to get some exercise on the days you plan to attend parties.  Doing so will keep your fitness goals top of mind.  It also sets a healthy tone for the day, which can be useful when surrounded by temptation.
2. If you are going to a casual party, wear your favorite skinny jeans.  For a fancy cocktail party, wear the sleek fitting little black dress that shows off your figure.  Wearing slim fitting apparel makes you body conscious.  In turn, it makes you pause before parking yourself by the table of hors d’oeuvres and noshing on pigs in blankets.

Navigate the cocktail party:

1. Drink plenty of water.  Drinking water is a great diet trick any savvy woman ought to employ.  Staying hydrated keeps you feeling full, ensuring that you don’t confuse hunger and thirst cues.
2. Suss out high-protein, high-fiber food options at cocktail parties.  Go for the shrimp, smoked salmon, naked vegetables, fruits, and nuts.  These foods will fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied.
3. Indulge.  You are at a holiday party, and you should enjoy yourself.  Remember it is important to indulge from time to time, as this gives you the willpower to maintain a healthy diet not just for a few weeks or months, but for a lifetime.
4. Each wonderful calorie you take in should be worth it.  Go ahead and try the gooey brie-covered date, but if that date is not divine, don’t finish it.  Instead, discreetly wrap it in a cocktail napkin and dispose of it.  On to the next treat!