Cut the BS Wednesday – Tips to Avoid Seasonal Weight Gain

Holiday season has commenced, which means lots of parties, more food and plenty of wine! Tis’ the season to indulge now and make resolutions later. But if you want a different experience this year, if you don’t want to wake up bloated, with a food hangover… if this year you don’t want to beat yourself up 3-4 weeks from now when your favourite pair of jeans aren’t fitting quite right, then this edition of Cut the BS Wednesday was written for YOU.

This week on Simplicity TV, Jenn is sharing her holiday tips for avoiding seasonal weight gain. Check it out:

Tips to Avoid Seasonal Weight Gain:

• Sleep – Another thing that often falls off of our priority lists in order to fit in all of your ‘tasks’ – SLEEP! You must make time to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. At night your body works on repairing your system, and re-energizing your cells for the day ahead. If you cut this process short in service of getting more done, you will pay for it the next day, and maybe a few days afterwards. Please don’t try to over-pack your schedule with SO MANY tasks. There are only so many hours in one day, and you must dedicate at least 8 hours towards sleeping.
• Exercise and keep moving – Make sure to make movement a part of your weekly routine, and incorporate a workout 4-5 days per week. Try a new class – Pilates, yoga, HIIT, dance, play sport, try something new. Take your pet for a walk, or you can even do home-based work out circuits.
• Pack your fridge with colours! Plant based mirco-nutrients from leafy greens, root vegetables and lots of vegetables. You are looking to energize your cells, giving your body the tools it needs to keep your hormones balanced and in check.
• Be prepared – when life gets busy it’s easy for your meal planning to drop off the priority list in service of convenience. Preparing your menu for the week is one of the most powerful tools for having a balanced supply of energy. Eating light snacks every 3-4 hours will keep your blood sugar levels stable and your metabolism functioning optimally. Make sure to pack your healthy snacks for the day and always carry water with you (2-4 liters per day is your target).SNACK IDEAS: Sliced veggies with hummus, sliced apples with nut-butter, homemade energy balls + bites (recipe below)
  

  Megan Telpner’s Chocolate Truffles:

• 1 cup raw walnuts, unsoaked
• 1 cup almonds, unsoaked
• ½ tsp salt
• 10-15 pitted dates, unsoaked
• ¼ cup raisins or dried cranberries
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 Tbs coconut syrup or 100% maple syrup
• 2 Tbs water
• ½ cup shredded coconut or ½ cup extra cocoa powder
• 1. Place the nuts & salt in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until finely ground.
  2. Add the dates, cocoa powder, coconut syrup and vanilla.
  3. Process until the mixture starts to stick together. Add water as needed & process briefly.
  4. Using about 1 Tbs of mixture, roll into balls.
  5. Sprinkle coconut or extra cocoa out onto a plate or cookie sheet and roll balls through, giving them a light dusting.
  6. Keep refrigerated until serving, or even better- eat them right out of the freezer.