Sin #6 Peer/Family Pressure

Apt that I should be writing this post after the Christmas holiday season with so much lush food and friendly coffee dates exchanging gifts wishes and munching on cookie exchange treats! Let's face it we all like to participate, even though I'm not a team player by default I do love to join in when food is at stake. I love to bake and put tons of food on the table, displaying pretty wrapped imported chocolates, nuts and goodies in fancy bowls that only see the light of day in December. In a way I am the family food pusher because I make the dinner and my husband and I host the supper, technically I am my own worst enemy and could decline the role but I love to cook and be the hostess with the mostess. However situations with friends and family always creates a food 'pressure cooker' situation for me. I want to be involved 100% and indulge in all the festivities including the food that I prep. Firstly it is very difficult to prepare all the food without testing it and those bites, licks and tastes add up calorie wise, let me tell you. (check out my last posting). Secondly I don't want to be the one at the table that doesn't enjoy the fruits of my labour while telling everyone else to Mangia Mangia Mangia, it wouldn't look good. :) I also enjoy a libation or two especially when guests are in town, nothing goes better with a great meal than the sound of glasses clinking and 'cheers' resounding about the table and well wishes to the celebrated or the occasion of just being together! It's wonderful and who wouldn't want to enjoy?

However, having a food volume issue makes the situation a little stickier...I need to plan ahead for this so that I don't get caught with my pants (undone). So I bulk up in advance. I cannot EMPHASIZE enough how I must keep on hand certain foods:

• Carrots

• Celery

• Raw Cauliflower/Broccoli

• Apples!!!! (I am Apple obsessed)

• Oranges

• Organic rice/corn crackers

• Hard boiled eggs

• Hummus (homemade preferably)

• Fat free plain Greek yogurt (for dips)

• Mustard plain and spicy kinds

• Dips (just be careful of the nutritional values...the calories can be lurking and add up fast)

My husband calls me a 'grazer' and I know my short comings, I have discussed this at length at WW meetings for years and I cannot seem to circumvent my need to graze as I prepare a meal but as long as I make sure that the grazing items are healthy, filling and whole foods then I am assuring myself to win overall. By winning I mean that my dinner plate will ultimately be smaller or I might not feel the need to eat at all by the time dinner is ready, which is okay too. Or if it is a grand occasion with guests over, then I will not be as ravenous or tempted, so having a smaller portion, just of the things that are special to me, will suffice. WINNING all over! This isn't to say that the pressure of friends' cakes and bottles of bubbly are not tempting and invites to potlucks or coffee dates with boxes of homemade cookies are not causing me to avoid the weigh scale for the months of December, January and February but every little advantage we can find is frosting, so to speak. So get prepared as best you can, enjoy what really tickles your fancy, be happy with friends and loved ones and tell the ones who care about you that you are doing your best to stay healthy and lose weight so maybe their offerings will take that into consideration....but regardless - HAVE FUN!! Sin just a little...