Surviving the Holidays without Painful Caloric Splurges

Holiday cuisine, Thanksgiving especially, make it hard to stick to your healthy diet and caloric restrictions.

There are definitely steps you can take to avoid post-binge remorse and bloat. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before sitting down for your meal.

Portion control is one of the most important things to consider when spooning that stuffing and mashed potato onto your plate. You can enjoy yourself and eat more than just vegetables as long as everything is in strict moderation. Balance out the calories from that buttered dinner roll with a medium portion of vegetables that are not doused in a calorie laden sauce.



When preparing your food, go for ingredients that are low in sodium or reduced fat, such as this Tom Colicchio's recipe for gravy that uses unsalted butter and low-salt chicken broth. Substituting in a light, virgin olive oil as well as whole grains wherever you can is another great secret!

Taking your time at dinner is another thing that will prevent you from over-eating. So enjoy every bite and then enjoy being able to button up your skinny jeans the following day.

A workout the morning of a food-filled day is always a great way to boost your metabolism to prepare your body and help you burn calories later.

Variety is always a great way to make sure you're getting a plethora of vitamins and minerals. So sample some of that broccoli, a side of corn and a slice of eggplant!

Make sure you do not overdo it with alcoholic drinks. Planning your one or two drinks, sandwiching a glass of water before and after each and sticking to that plan is a no-fail method to controlling your liquid caloric intake.

Here are some additional healthy Thanksgiving recipes from The Healthy Apple to add to your holiday cookbook that are both flavorful and are sure to impress your guests.

Harvest Roasted Balsamic Vegetables
Rustic Roasted Potatoes with Orange Cranberry Relish
Green Tea Pumpkin Soup

A Dash of Sparkle

photo credit German Vogue

The holidays are the perfect time to add *sparkle* to everything 

in your life whether it be your outfit, accessories or makeup!

Here are a few of my favorite sparkly touches:

Deborah Lippmann's "Today Was A Fairytale"

J Crew's "Moonbeam Sequined Blazer"

Judith Leiber's "Lattice Crystal Minaudiere" Clutch

Nordstrom's "Jeweled Beret"

Topshop's "Jem Comb"

Sachin & Babi's "Galina Belt"

Dsstyle's Hello Kitty Ipad Case

Diane von Furstenberg's "Carlisle Hat"

Juicy Couture's Rhinestone adorned Leg Warmers:

Swarovski crystals, sequins and jewels are an easy way to add a bit of instant glamour to any outfit regardless if you prefer to do so completely or in smaller doses.