Foodtrainers' Holiday Helper Rosh Rules (and YK too)

Well, actually don't

We’ve just shifted out of summer mode and the holidays are upon us.

While it can feel like September presents one thing after another, we're hoping that since  many of us are still casting off our summer holiday treatsare slightly less alluring (maybe?)

Here are Foodtrainers’ tips for a “sweet” new year. The only thing sweeter than honey cake is feeling svelte when September ends. Agree? Thought so.

 Rosh Rules (and YK too)

 Create room for holiday meals. If you’re familiar with Foodtraining through the holidays .you know that we believe in utilizing pre and post holiday days. For every holiday meal, have 1 day where you skip anything sweet (wine and fruit are sweet).

 Secret Holiday Weapons: have lemon squeezed in water before your holiday meal, this will prevent your blood sugar from rising sky high and may displace a glass of wine. The morning after holidays, try our magic green elixir.

 Employ our “traditional” 1 plate rule: make a plate with 1/2 veggies, 1/4 protein, 1/4 carb. If you can skip the carb and try making your plate ¾ veg, even better. No seconds (that would be 2 plates).

 Pick 1 treat per holiday: kugel, matzo balls and next week bagels-OY (if your clothes aren’t fitting really well, nothing about these foods will help, just a “sweet’ reminder). We cannot have it all and not expect post-holiday matzo balls in unfortunate, unwanted places…

*note this isn’t 1 treat per holiday meal, got it? One treat for RH and one for YK max, if you forego other treats we’ll sound our office shofar for you.
  So what should you eat? We say GO Gefilte or via sauce removal “naked” brisket, these are good protein choices. Roasted veggies (carrots being a “sweeter” veg is the least of your worries) are fair game. Also, a little known fact some feel spinach (silka) was one of the original signs of Rosh Hashanah. In terms of carbs, gourds (pumpkins and squashes) have symbolic meaning and are your best starch selection.

 BYOT (bring your own tea) Rosh Hashanah food is super sweet. Chances are the above-mentioned honey cake is redundant. Basically Rosh Hashanah dinner is dessert. So skip the sweets post meal, Tazo makes a great, organic cinnamon apple tea. 

 Don’t binge before you fast. If you fast for YK avoid the temptation to overdue it beforehand. This actually makes fasting more difficult. Stick to the one plate rule and the 1-carb per plate rule as well. 

 Bagels are a break up food , break fast or not.  Speaking of The Little Book of Thin, the holiday chapter is a great primer for the holidays (just saying).

 You are not alone! You can also #TIDEI (via twitter) if you need extra support. For example "my aunt is guilting me into eating _________" 
 Insta your plate @Foodtrainers @onesmartbrownie, one properly composed plate will receive some "secret post holiday weapons".
And of course we wish you a year filled with health and happiness.
Did you have a holiday meal already? How was it? Which of these "rules" resonates with you? 
Do you find September a difficult month?
*Congrats to our first week of September Squeezers who took the month by storm and put in 7 days of great eating and focus.

Holiday Eating: Food Pushers, Gymlessness and the urge to ProcratinEat

At sundown today, Rosh Hashanah begins; Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year (do not click away if you aren’t Jewish, if you celebrate any holidays or attend any group food events, read on).  Many Rosh Hashanah foods are sweet as they signify the hope for a sweet New Year. This is a lovely tradition but a challenge from a food perspective. There have been countless articles written about holiday eating and the calories in holiday foods. To me, the often overlooked aspects of holiday eating are the extra time spent with family (glass of wine for me please), the travel involved in getting to wherever you are going and associations with traditional, special and often home-cooked food.

It’s more about the dynamics at work than the food itself.  Here are some of the potential pitfalls, see if they strike a chord.

Problem: The Food Pusher, I tend to think every family has one. Food pushers have been known to ask, “is that all you’re eating?” or “how come you didn’t try the potatoes?” or worst of all food pushers plate the food for you.

Solution: There are several strategies to handle a food pusher. My first thought is that the food pusher often wants you to try things but doesn’t necessarily mind if you don’t finish them. So put the kugel or cake on your plate and only eat what you wish to.

The second, more aggressive route is to be honest and polite but push back “it’s so delicious but I think I’ve had enough.” It’s always good to throw in a compliment while refusing food.

Problem: Slim (healthy) Pickins - It’s hard to believe in 2011 someone can compose a menu with zero regard for health but it happens and happens a lot for holiday meals. Even my mother uses by grandmothers stick-of-butter recipes and justifies it as “traditional.”

Solution: Help green the menu. By this, I don’t mean green as in better for the environment,  I mean literally green. Many holiday menus lack clean vegetable options so offer to bring something. Yes, there may be an ounce of selfishness here but say “can I bring a beautiful crudité and dip?” Or, “I saw a great Brussels sprouts recipe.” Even if the host declines your offer it may send a message that potatoes shouldn’t be the only vegetable on the table.

Problem: Gymlessness-you’re away from home, at your parents or in-laws far away from your usual gym or spin class.

Solution: Don’t be an exercise snob. Bring your sneakers and even if it’s cold or not as good a workout, commit to walking the day of the holiday AND the day after. Throw in some crunches and push-ups and you may have burned off those potatoes.

Problem: ProcrastinEATING. ProcrastinEATING happens when you feel as if you had a large, holiday meal and that you’ve blown it as far as your food plan goes. The procrastineater says “on Monday I will be good.” Or, “when I get home I will get back on track.”

Solution: nip it in the bud. It’s often not the holiday meals that do people in. It’s the leftovers and couple of days following the meal and the towel getting thrown in. If you are off track regroup at the next meal and plan your food for the day following Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving or Christmas etc. It’s not just about the holiday meal.

Aside from potential pitfalls, there are so many interesting food traditions tied to holidays.  For Rosh Hashanah there is the notion of “new fruit”. This is a fruit that is recently in season; pomegranate is commonly used. There is a blessing that’s said. The implication is to be grateful for the fruits of the earth and the opportunity to enjoy them. Religion aside, this is something we can all do.

What do you find to be the biggest challenges with holiday eating? Have you ever been a procrastineater? What “new fruits” have you been enjoying?