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• simple holidays
• lovely holidays
• sane holidays
• happy holiday season

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the idea of sitting around a tastefully decorated fireplace with your loved ones while chatting and eating homemade goodies and drinking eggnog. However, none of my Christmases ever actually turn out like that. From stressful calendars to weird family baggage, Christmas doesn't often end up perfect,.and that's ok.

Amidst the twinkle of holiday decor, it's easy to fill our plates to overflowing, and inevitably transform our lovely celebrations to stress-induced rampages. So how do you keep your holidays sane? Here are a few tips from Incourage.me.com to keep in mind if you would like to make this year's holidays more manageable.

1. Meet the needs of your spouse, kids, and yourself first- Focus on your immediate family's needs first, and ultimately do what's best for your household. This might mean not traveling five hours away to Aunt Mary's house like everyone else in your extended family. This might inadvertently lead to hurt feelings. But what good is it to please these people if your household ultimately suffers? No one's happy in the end.

2. Don't spend more than you have- Draw a line in the sand to never, ever use credit. It's tempting during the holiday season, but the many months that follow of paying it off is never worth it. You'll sleep so much better at night. You may want to try making purchases online to avoid going over-budget or make your own gifts.

3. Do what you can and don't worry about the rest- Don't neglect your responsibilities, of course. But find creative ways to do what you have to do in an easy way, so that you have time and energy to do what you love. For example agree to only attend 5 holiday events so that not all of your evenings are full or buy from a local bake sale or bakery instead of feeling like everything must be homemade.

4. Make a big deal out of those little things that are fun- Make popcorn and turn down the lights for your family's favorite Christmas movie or play your favorite Christmas tunes and drink hot chocolate while you wrap gifts. It's these small things that make this season special.

Christmas is for us to enjoy with those we love, not to stress us out. By keeping things simple and positive you will be able to have a more peaceful and happy holiday season. Merry Christmas!

• comfort foods
• winter foods
• fattening foods
• winter weight gain
• extra pounds
• winter months
• fattening foods of winter
• unwanted pounds

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Studies have shown that during the months of December and January, many people gain at least one pound , every year. Why? One main reason is that besides being less active during the winter months, we also turn to comfort foods to get us through those dark, dreary winter days.

According to WebMD there are many culprits for winter weight gain including less outdoor exercise, endless weeks of holiday celebrations, ultra fattening comfort foods, and more layers of clothing to hide our expanding waistlines. It's ok to splurge on occasional small portions of decadent foods and holiday delights but if you want to prevent packing on those unwanted pounds you may want to steer clear of the following foods or eat them in moderation:

Macaroni and cheese- An all-time favorite comfort food for children and adults alike, a healthier modification to this classic fat bomb is to use low-fat cheese, low-fat milk and add additional veggies.

Cream based soups and bisques- Anything loaded with cream is also loaded with calories, so instead you may want to choose warm winter soups that are broth based like vegetable or minestrone.

• Cream and cheese based casseroles- One serving of a traditional hash brown casserole topped with cheese, bacon, or fried onions has nearly 600 calories, 40 grams of fat and 21 grams of saturated fat. To shave calories off of this seasonal favorite by substituting low-calorie mix-ins such as fat-free sour cream, low-fat cheese or reduced-fat soups or try over-roasted veggies for a healthy side dish.

Cheesecake- Try to stick to small amounts of cheesecake or try satisfying your sweet tooth with a 150 calorie sugar free ice cream dessert or suck on a peppermint stick.

Chili and stews loaded with ground beef, sausage and cheese- If making this dish yourself stick to small portions of lean meat, lots of vegetables and beans, sprinkle with low-fat cheese and skip the crumbled crackers on top.

Cookies- Nothing says the holidays like Christmas cookies and enjoying one small cookie isn't a problem. At around 200-250 calories make sure you only eat one or split one half and eat the other half later.

Creamy pot pies (with pastry top and bottom)-When you have pastry on the top and bottom, you get a double dose of high-fat crust plus the fatty filling. Forget the creamy pie and enjoy a roasted chicken breast and a whole-wheat roll for a fraction of the calories.

A few bites of even the most fattening foods can fit into your diet, but it's important to consume these types of food in moderation. Keep in mind that most adults need fewer than 2,000 calories, 65 grams of total fat and 20 grams of saturated fat each day.

Just by making some slight alterations and by avoiding these fattening foods you will see that you will not only feel better but you can prevent packing on those unwanted pounds, too.

• health benefits
• savory salmon
• high quality proteins
• improving your health
• avoiding disease
• diet of salmon
• essential amino acid
• healthy fish

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Whether you're a fish fan or not taking advantage of salmon is worth a try due to its many health benefits. Besides being an excellent source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, salmon is also full of high-quality proteins and low in saturated fat. In a nutshell, eating a regular diet of salmon can improve cardiovascular health, muscle and tissue development, and eye care. It can also help reduce the risk of many diseases, like type II diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

According to Organicfacts.net salmon is a species of fish that is found in fresh and salt water. Because salmon is chock full of protein, it contains sufficient amounts of every essential amino acid required by our bodies for growth and the upkeep of muscle tissue. These proteins also help our bodies to maintain a healthy metabolism, playing a key role in weight loss.

Salmon has nearly a third of the saturated fat of lean ground beef and 50 percent less saturated fat than chicken, making it one of the healthiest items that you could eat. It is also low in calories. One serving contains approximately 183 calories, making it one of the lowest in calories among other fish. Positivehealthsteps.com also says that salmon is a healthy choice compared to other meats. Compared to salmon's 183 calories, beef steak contains about 275 calories, lamb chops contain about 360 calories and pork chops about 320.

Salmon can be prepared in a variety of quick and easy ways. Steaming preserves its flavor and keeps the flesh nice and moist. Pan frying or barbecuing with a light coating of olive oil is another great way to serve and you can also poach or bake Salmon. Whatever method you choose, follow these guidelines to ensure your salmon is fully cooked, yet retains the delicate flavor and texture of the fish.

Measure the Salmon at its thickest part For every inch or 2.5 cm of thickness, cook at high heat for 2 minutes Add 5 minutes to the total cooking time if the Salmon is being prepared in a heavy sauce or is wrapped in foil.

Overall, you would be hard pressed to find a healthier fish , and a tastier one, too!

• alleviate stress
• holiday season
• non stressful season
• happy holidays
• de-stress
• Holiday stress
• stressful time of the year
• reason for the season

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

The holidays can be the most joyous AND the most stressful time of the year. Instead of driving yourself crazy and worrying your way through the season, use the following advice to help de-stress this year.

1. If you exchange gifts with friends, family or co-workers, decide ahead of time a pre-set spending limit that you will spend on each other. By keeping this amount in mind when you are shopping it will be less stressful to you when you are searching for that perfect gift as you can eliminate certain gifts if necessary.

2. Don't try to do all of the cooking for your get-togethers. Instead delegate certain dishes to your different family members or guests and let them help take the stress off of you when it comes to the meal. You will not only get a break, but your guests will feel like they contributed to making the holiday special.

3. Watch your fat and sugar intake over the holiday season. Taking in too much fat and sugar will not only lead to bloating, but it could also lead to depression. By watching what sugary treats you eat this season you will also avoid having to lose those extra pounds that you may put on by eating those foods.

4. Teach your children the value of gift-giving and the “reason for the season.” Children do not need an abundance of gifts, instead by getting them a few memorable gifts you will be instilling in them happiness for what they do get. This will also alleviate the stress of shopping every day for those items that will only be forgotten in a few days.

5. Embrace imperfection. According to MSNBC, it's important to chill out and leave the emotional baggage at the door. Don't allow for heightened sensitivity this time of year because you're just asking for a melt-down. Laugh and smile even if you don't feel like it. Stop stressing about making everything perfect and realize that this holiday is about the joys of spending time together and not the other minor details.

6. Give to a charity this season. This season isn't about what you receive, but what you can give and what better way to give than to give to those in need? Whether it is by giving food and donations to a food bank or by donating some toys to those in need, you will feel such a calming and happy feeling knowing that you are affecting the lives of people who may do without otherwise.

Happy Holidays to you and wishes for a non stressful season!

• thanksgiving calorie counter
• burn off thanksgiving turkey
• holiday meal
• thanksgiving meal
• holiday calories
• indulgent eating
• activity level
• brisk walking
• heart pumping

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season by figuring out how many calories are in your favorite meals using this handy holiday calorie list. By figuring out how many calories you're consuming you'll have a better idea of the amount of movement and activities that you'll need in order to combat Holiday calories.

Salads and Appetizers:

3 cups salad (with light dressing): 100 calories ½ cup jello with fruit: 120 calories ½ cup Waldorf salad: 110 calories 1 cracker with cheese: 70 calories ½ cup mixed raw vegetables: 25 calories ½ cup mixed nuts: 440 calories 1 oz. tortilla or potato chips: 150 calories (75 extra calories per tablespoon of dip)

Main Course:

6 oz. cured ham: 300 calories 6 oz. white and dark turkey: 340 calories ½ cup stuffing: 180 calories ½ cup cranberry sauce: 190 calories ½ cup mashed potatoes: 150 calories ½ cup gravy: 150 calories ½ cup green bean casserole: 225 calories ½ cup candied sweet potatoes: 150 calories 1 dinner roll: 110 calories (45 extra calories with one pat of butter)

Drinks:

1 mixed drink: 250 calories 1 glass of wine: 120 calories 1 glass of cider: 120 calories 1 cup eggnog: 343 calories

Desserts:

2 small chocolate chip cookies: 150 calories 1 piece apple pie: 410 calories 1 piece pecan pie: 480 calories 1 piece pumpkin pie: 180 calories ½ cup whipped cream: 75 calories ½ cup ice cream: 145 calories

Leftovers:

1 turkey sandwich with mayo and cranberry sauce: 450 calories 1 open-face turkey sandwich with stuffing and gravy: 290 calories

Now according to Walking.about.com the first thing that you need to do after a weekend of over-indulgent eating is to increase your activity level. Brisk walking three or more times a week for thirty to forty five minutes will help burn off your Thanksgiving turkey. So enjoy your Thanksgiving feast then make sure to put on your walking shoes. Get some fresh air, get your heart pumping and gear up for Christmas just around the corner!