Man, This is Challenging!

This blog was originally featured on the Snellville Patch.  It discusses losing weight and getting fit over the course of a year.

The first two weeks of this experience I lost four pounds. (I started the week before Halloween.  Click on my name at the top of the page for the original blog posts.) I was so excited!

Then, nothing. Not even an ounce. I'm so discouraged!

It might have something to do with the fact that I haven't exercised much. I walked a mile and a half with a friend once this week. That's about it. School and work took back over. <sigh>

And Thanksgiving is next week! My favorite holiday! Oh, the pies! And the cookies, and the mashed potatoes and lovely casseroles... How am I supposed to lose weight with the holidays coming?

Well, looks like Eat Better America already has an answer to that. I got an email this morning, thank goodness, on ways to make healthier versions of favorite Thanksgiving desserts. Yay!! Here they be:

This pumpkin pie has “53% less fat • 80% less sat fat • 24% fewer calories,” according to Eat Better America. It looks pretty good! Each slice has 250 calories, compared to nearly 320 in an average slice. Better yet, it only has 7 grams of fat, compared to 14.4.

This “creamy vanilla caramel cheescake” looks even better. 180 calories per slice.

You know you won't skip the desserts, so why not make something you can actually enjoy without the guilt? I'm going to make the cheesecake.  And probably the pumpkin pie, too. ;)

As far as the non-sweet food, most casseroles are high in calories and fat. Steamed fresh green beans are great with some sliced almonds as an alternative to green bean casserole. Mix in some minced garlic.

For sweet potatoes, you can use Splenda's brown sugar mix! If you're used to using Splenda anyway, you won't tell the difference between the healthy version and the not-so-healthy one.

Personally, I'm not going to blow it over Thanksgiving. I already did that at Book Club last Friday! (Thanks Jules.)

Do you have any healthified versions of favorite holiday staples? Let me know! I'm hosting it at my house this year, so I get a little bit of input into what's made.