Workout Wednesday's

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

So many of us suffer from overindulging because the food is just soooo good!  If you are hosting Christmas dinner, you are in control of your portions and what goes into the meal.  That's easy to maintain.  When you have to go to someone else's house, that's where there can be an issue.  Here are some tips to help avoid weight gain this Christmas season.

• Maintain your workout routine.  You should actually have more time to work out now that most of your workplace is empty.  If you have a gym at your workplace, sneak away during the day to fit in 30 minutes of cardio.  No one said that you have to go all out and over exercise because of the food you'll be consuming.  Maintaining a bit of exercise over the next week will really help maintain a healthy lifestyle...especially going into the new year.
• Don't skip meals to fit in your big turkey dinner.  This will actually make you more hungry making you want to consume more than you can actually fit.  Regulating your meals during the day is important for maintaining your blood glucose, metabolism and will prevent your from bingeing.
• Watch what you drink.  We often get carried away with wine and beer, but the amount of calories in each of these drinks is astronomical, not to mention the amount of sugar in each.  Go with a plan.  Give yourself a limit for the night as opposed to drinking every time something is put in front of you.  Nobody's holding a gun to your head to drink it.  You may not want to seem rude but you definitely don't want to be the parties drunk.
• Take your time eating.  Maintaining a slower pace will allow your food to digest and make you fuller on less food.  Every time you take a bite, rest your cutlery and start a conversation.  This will also give you the chance to mingle with other guests.
• Take the holidays day by day.  Don't beat yourself if you happen to slip up and over consume some unhealthy snacks.  Get back on track the next day.  Many people feel that their whole day or week is shot if they slip up 1 time.  We are only human.  It's bound to happen that we want to indulge a bit.  Just ensure you hop back on your healthy eating habits the next day or meal.

Tasty Tuesday's

Who said you can't bake healthy desserts for the holidays?

Pecan Cranberry Tart
10 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour plus cooling time

Ingredients

Crust
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons water

Filling
1 cup pecan halves, divided
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Pinch salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with nonstick spray.
2.To make crust: Spread oats in another pie pan and bake, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 6 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Place the oats in a food processor and process until coarsely ground.
3.Stir together oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle oil onto dry ingredients and use a fork or your fingers to blend until crumbly. Using a fork, stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together.
4.Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 7 to 8 times. Roll the dough out to an 11-inch circle, dusting with flour if necessary. Transfer the dough to prepared pan, pressing to fit. Trim edges. (If necessary, use scraps to patch any holes in crust.)
5.To make filling & bake: Spread 1/2 cup pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool and coarsely chop.
6.Whisk brown sugar, eggs, egg whites, corn syrup, vinegar, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in dried cranberries and the chopped pecans. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange remaining 1/2 cup pecans on top of the filling.
7.Bake the tart until filling is set and crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

NutritionPer serving: 276 calories; 13 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 152 mg sodium; 129 mg potassium.

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 2 fat