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January 1st - Happy New Year!!

January 1st - Happy New Year!!

The Winner

First off, I would like to start the New Year telling the world how blessed and grateful I feel to all the participants of No Shoes Nutrition's first Holiday Health Challenge.  I was very nervous coming into this season and running this contest for the first time.  I mean, what if no one followed it?  I was overwhelmed with the participation and dedication by not just one or two but several people!  So, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to all that left even one little comment.

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Day Thirty - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Thirty - Holiday Health Challenge

Prepare Your Resolution

Here it is! The last weekend of the year. How are you preparing for the New Year? 2018!! I am going to spend some time today preparing for my resolutions and goals that I have set for the coming year. I know what I have to do because we have already set our goals. Now I am going to set myself up for success.

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Day Twenty-Nine - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Nine - Holiday Health Challenge

Book Your Appointments

Today is Friday. If you are like me, you don’t really feel like working. Today I am going through my calendar and setting dates for all my yearly appointments. I want to ensure that I am taking care of myself and that I have scheduled time for appointments for my children too. Yearly check ups for physicals, dental and eye doctor visits are part of a healthy regime. Why not book them now and not let things go for another year. 

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Day Twenty-Eight - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Eight - Holiday Health Challenge

Know You’re Supported

Yesterday we spent some time thinking about goals. Maybe we have some simple tweaks to make to our daily lives or we may have lofty goals to achieve in 2018. Regardless, where is your support coming from? Who is going to help you stay accountable and living your intention?  How do you want to be supported? Do you need to join a group to quit a habit? Should you talk to your doctor before hand? These are important things to remember and to get in place before starting.

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Day Twenty-Seven - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Seven - Holiday Health Challenge

Set Goals

It’s that time of year. The time when we are evaluating what we accomplished this past year and what we are going to do differently next year. Most people start setting New Years resolutions.  I don’t resolve (a firm decision to do or not to do something) to change I embrace (accept and support willingly and enthusiastically) it and I encourage you to do this too! 

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Day Twenty-Six - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Six - Holiday Health Challenge

Do Nothing

What is happening? Yesterday I recommended that we all indulge and now we’re not doing any activity today!?! That’s right, we’re going to take a day of rest. It is not traditionally what Boxing Day is about but it’s what I recommend we do. I always thought Boxing Day was named as the day we get rid of the boxes all the presents came in on Christmas Day. I never thought anything more nor did think to do any other research. 

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Day Twenty-Five - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Five - Holiday Health Challenge

Everything in Moderation

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! It’s the BIG day and I wouldn’t be surprised if you are all too busy with family and friends to comment here. I would completely understand. I am just gearing up with my family to open presents and feast the night away. Today is a special day for me in SO many ways. It’s one of the only days I DO NOT practice moderation. What?

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Day Twenty-Four - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Four - Holiday Health Challenge

Be Kind

It’s Christmas, a time of giving, a time of receiving, a time of peace and joy. That seems so obvious on the outside. We put on a happy face and bravely face the world. But what are your inner thoughts saying to you? Are you kind to yourself? We have been working together all month to focus on being aware, on making the best choices and being prepared. But what do you tell yourself when that doesn’t happen? Are you kind?

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Day Twenty-Three - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Three - Holiday Health Challenge

Put the Food Away

It’s the BIG DAY! The family is all present, the dinner food is about to be plated. What do we do with all the appetizers? You know, the cheese plate with crackers, the veggies and dip and the nachos and salsa that some how made it out of the pantry. Put them away. Clean up the appetizers before the meal gets plated to cut down on filling up too much on the snack foods and then over filling on dinner.

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Day Twenty-Two - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-Two - Holiday Health Challenge

Get Domestic

Over the holiday season many of us get at least a few days off. How do you use that time?  Are you home? I suggest using a little of your down time to get your life organized for 2018!  Take the time to meal plan, unclutter the house and look at your schedule for the year.

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Day Twenty-One - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty-One - Holiday Health Challenge

Slow Down

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! I don’t know about where you are, but we are going to have a white Christmas here in Calgary. The stockings are hung, the meals are planned, the gifts are wrapped, and the little ones are busting at the seems trying to contain their excitement!! Whew! That was A LOT to take on! Hopefully this holiday season you will find some time to slow down, put your feet up and relax

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Day Twenty - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twenty - Holiday Health Challenge

Are there Traditions You Can Live Without?

I was shocked when I Googled Holiday Traditions in Canada and realized that 90% of them were all foods or involved a food! What? Do we not read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” anymore? Why does everything have to revolve around food? I have decided to make a point this year of making other things a tradition with my family.

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Day Nineteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Nineteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Trim Down on The Trimmings

The holidays are filled with amazing foods! We enjoy all the holiday meals and all the “trimmings”. Do you know what the trimmings are? I have heard that phrase all my life and only in recent years did I think about it. What are these trimmings we speak of so fondly? Where do they go for the rest of the year?

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Day Eighteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Eighteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Bring Your Own Dish

Don’t wait to be asked to contribute to a invitation to dinner. In fact, don’t even ask if you can bring something, just do it. Tell the host or hostess that you have fallen in love with a new recipe, or that it would be your pleasure to bring your favorite holiday dish for them to try.  I often will show up with something other than wine.

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Day Sixteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Sixteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Bring Out the Skinny Jeans

Okay this might be the funniest tip in my opinion! Going to a party? Dress in your tightest pants, aka the skinny jeans and let nature tell you when to stop eating! It doesn’t just have to be your jeans, find a fitted shirt, a little black dress, wear a belt that doesn’t have any room to let out a notch! I find this a fun and effective way to stay conscious all day and all night. 

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Day Fifteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Fifteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Size Does Matter

Today we are going to discuss portion size. What do the “recommended” portions look like?Here are a few easy ways to remember without counting calories or grams of fat, protein and carbs. Remember that your stomach is only able to handle SO much food.

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Day Fourteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Fourteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Add the Holiday Color GREEN!!

One of my favorite sayings is “When you’re green inside, you’re clean inside!”.  You may even catch my children repeating this mantra as they fill their bellies with spinach or broccoli.  I love it!  But that’s because I love veggies and I love them for SO many reasons. (Especially the green leafy ones!!)

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Day Thirteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Thirteen - Holiday Health Challenge

Balance Acid with Alkaline

When we eat foods that produce an acid or alkaline effect on the body without balance, the body must work harder to mitigate the effects of pH and keep our bodily fluids in homeostasis. But, when you eat acid forming foods and balance them with alkaline forming foods they have a neutral effect on the body! So, which foods are which?

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Day Twelve - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Twelve - Holiday Health Challenge

Eat Low to High – Eat till Satisfied NOT Stuffed

It’s time to discuss how to eat at a buffet FULL of treats!  We’ve discussed trying to come prepared and trying to not arrive starving but it’s still nice to sample some of the food.  I mean, it is Christmas!!  So where to start?

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Day Eleven - Holiday Health Challenge

Day Eleven - Holiday Health Challenge

The Holidays are filled with deliciousness.  There are gingerbread cookies, shortbread cookies, pecan pies, pumpkin pies, eggnog, hot buttered rum and many more unbelievably amazing confections.  Sometimes I run into people who are literally eating themselves through the holidays.  Did you know that most people who pack on a few pounds every holiday rarely take those pounds off in January?

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