Little Tricks

The holidays are a time when it seems tough to eat right. This is such a busy time of year. If you aren't out shopping, you're at a Christmas party. There are Christmas plays, parades, and many other events to keep you from eating at home where you can be sure of the nutritional content of your meal. Sometimes it's a quick trip through the drive thru for dinner. Other times, it's a buffet at an office party, accompanied by carb and calorie loaded mixed drinks. The toughest time for me, though, is the time when I am home baking for friends and family. As I have said before, chocolate is my weakness. In addition to that problem, I love to bake, and am quite good at it. Because of this, I do alot of it during the holidays. I try to bake for family gatherings, and I also like to bake treats to give as gifts. Unfortunately, I want to eat my baked goods when they are fininshed, and I want to sample them during the time that I am making them. If you share the same problems as I do, you need to learn some of my tricks, or even come up with some of your own.

Trick # 1 Keep a jar of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) nearby- a small spoonful of peanut butter can quickly satisfy your sweet tooth, while giving you some added protein (until I went low carb, I would never have thought of peanut butter as sweet)

Trick # 2 Reach for the Whipped Cream (chocolate is great)- very low in carbs, but sweet enough, you'll feel satisfied

Trick # 3 Have a cup of coffee with sugar free flavored syrup- it's hot, it's sweet, and it can last the entire time that you bake

Trick # 4 Grab some Diet Hot Cocoa- 1/2 of a package only contains 2 carbs, and it's a great addition to your holiday

Trick # 5 Chew some gum- cinnamon gum seems to detour my cravings for baked goods

Hope these tricks help you stay on track this season!