Holiday Survival Guide and Tips

“Get You In Shape’s Fit Guide to Surviving the Holidays!”

Happy Holidays!

Thank you for reading our “Holiday Survival Guide” which is jam-packed with healthy recipes, fitness tips, and at-home workouts for fighting the holiday bulge!!

You can find even more nutrition information, workouts, recipes, and information on our website: https://www.getyouinshape.com

FREE TO YOU for reading this guide: If you’re looking for accountability, motivation, and most importantly RESULTS, I encourage you to come to a FREE TRIAL Fitness Session! It is a perfect way to stay fit and healthy during the holidays! Just email us at Brad@GetYouInShape.com for more details and we’ll get you started right away!

Let us help YOU make your New Year’s Resolution of “Getting in shape” this year a reality!

Best of luck with your health and fitness goals over the holiday season and the New Year! I hope to hear from you soon!

3 Healthy Holiday Drink Recipes

  Pomegranate Punch:

• 2 ½ cups of Seltzer
• 2 cups of Pomegranate Juice
• Lemon twists

Directions: Mix seltzer and pomegranate juice in bowl and then garnish with lemon twists.

To add alcohol: add 2 cups of champagne, decrease both pomegranate juice & seltzer to 1 cup each, and add ½ cup vodka. (Serves 6, 128 calories, 7 gr. carbs, 5 mg sodium, 72 Potassium).

Santa Claus:

• 46 oz. pink grapefruit juice
• 12 oz. raspberry juice
• 1 quart raspberry sherbet
• 2 liters ginger ale

Directions: Pour pink grapefruit juice and ginger ale into a punch bowl.

Add raspberry juice or 12 oz. frozen raspberries (stir to thaw). Add sherbet and stir until melted.

Low-fat Eggnog 

• 3/4 cup organic sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 4 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups organic milk
• 1 ½ cups fat free half-and-half
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup rum or brandy (optional) (can use rum extract instead)
• Freshly grated nutmeg to garnish

Directions: Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add egg and egg whites, and beat with a mixer for 3-4 minutes.

Gently heat fat free milk in a large saucepan. Gradually stir egg mixture into the hot milk. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in vanilla extract and remove from heat.

Let the milk and egg mixture cool a little before blending with fat-free half-and-half milk. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, add rum or brandy if desired and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg on top. Serves 4.

Healthy Holiday Appetizers

 Stuffed Mushrooms:

• 24 large button mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed, reserving stems
• 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup unsalted organic butter
• 2 cups bread crumbs (whole wheat)
• Juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (or substitute apple juice)
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Arrange mushrooms, cavity facing upwards, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Set aside. Finely chop the reserved mushroom stems. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat; melt butter and sauté the mushroom stems, onion, and celery until soft, about 3 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, lemon juice, sherry, parsley, garlic powder, salt, basil, oregano, pepper, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Mix well. Add sautéed vegetables and mix well to combine.
4. Using a small spoon, stuff the prepared mushrooms. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until stuffing starts to brown. Remove mushrooms from the oven and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Turn the oven to broil and return the mushrooms to the oven, until the cheese has browned nicely.

Serve warm from the oven. Makes 24.

Herbed Tomato Cheese Spread:

• 1-cup low-fat cream cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly snipped or frozen chives
• 1 tablespoon snipped dill or seasoning
• 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

Directions: In a medium bowl, combine cheese, garlic, chives, and dill. Add tomatoes and mix well. Good as a spread for Triscuits or whole grain crackers.

Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp:

• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ¼ pounds cooked shrimp

Directions: Place garlic and oil in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Toss with shrimp in a large bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 12. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.

25 Tips to Fighting the Holiday Bulge

1. Start your day strong with a healthy breakfast. If you don’t, you will tend to overeat the rest of the day. Good rule to follow: eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper.
2. Curb your appetite. Drink a glass of water before every meal. It will help you fill up faster and help you eat less.
3. Slow down. Eat slower and taste your food. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to recognize how much is in your stomach. It is a good idea to take a break after you eat to lessen the temptation to go for another serving!
4. Stay active. Exercise with your family and go for a walk or jog outside! Sign up for a Turkey Trot or Christmas Jingle Bell Run 5k to do with your family over the holidays.
5. Keep a food diary. Tracking everything you put into your body will help to point out your weaknesses. You will then be able to focus on limiting your intake of certain foods and spot when you missed a meal. What you measure you can manage!
6. Choose to eat clean 80-90% of the time. Eat more protein, vegetables and fruit and healthy fats like nuts and seeds. A handful of almonds or a freshly sliced apple is a great snack to curb your hunger!
7. Don’t go anywhere hungry. Try to arrive at any holiday parties having already eaten something healthy. That way you won’t be too prone to digging into high-calorie party foods. Also, bring a healthy option to a holiday party!
8. Maintain portion Control. Pay attention to how much you put on your plate. Use smaller plates. Moderation is one of the most important elements in weight control – especially at holiday parties!
9. Choose water over Alcohol. Drinking water in place of alcohol will keep you hydrated and keep your energy level high. Also – it is amazing quickly calories in alcoholic drinks can add up! Try not to drink your calories for the day!
10. Don’t eat things if you don’t like them. Sounds simple enough! If you put it on your plate and it doesn’t taste as good as you thought, why eat it?
11. Don’t give up! Falling out of habits you are trying to accomplish for a few days, DOES NOT mean your effort is hopeless. Simply acknowledge that you ‘slipped up’ or ate poorly and get back on your plan. New day, new start!
12. Exercise on days you eat a holiday meal. Try to get a workout in on the days you know you will have a big holiday supper that day. Your metabolism will be running higher and chances are you will choose better foods!
13. Decide how many drinks you are going to have before the party. Choose light and clear alcohol over dark, and alternate between an alcohol beverage (if you are drinking) and water (same goes for soda). This cuts 100’s of calories!!!!
14. Eat more vegetables. Try to fill half of your plate with vegetables.
15. Wrap up leftovers immediately. If you wrap them up, you less likely to eat them mindlessly when you are already full.
16. Say “no” to keeping unhealthy leftovers in the refrigerator. These foods will tempt you! It is best to keep your kitchen full of healthy foods so when hunger strikes, you don’t have high calorie options to choose between.
17. Use the dirty napkin trick. When you want to stop eating throw a dirty napkin over your food.
18. Throw the snack plate away. When at a party, if the plate is plastic, toss it. If it is a dish put it in the sink. The longer you hold on to your plate, the more you will eat.
19. Trim all the fat. If you are cooking it, do it before you cook it. If you didn’t cook it, just trim it off before eating.
20. Split dessert with somebody. This way you will only have half the calories!
21. Set goals for yourself over the holidays. Read them first thing in the morning, throughout the day and before bed. Share these goals with somebody to help you stay accountable!
22. Brush your teeth. Brush your teeth after you eat so that you won’t continue eating. Or, keep chewing gum with you and do that instead!
23. Leave the kitchen. Don’t hang out by the food table at home or at parties. Too much mindless eating!
24. If eating out, put half the meal in a box before you start eating. This will help you with portion control!
25. Make a workout calendar for yourself! Commit to a certain number of days per week that you exercise. Mark them off with a marker to show your progress. Come to a free trial of boot camp at https://www.getyouinshape.com and burn huge calories per workout!