Curbing Holiday Cravings and Avoiding Weight Gain

Ho ho ho! We are entering the holiday season and for many people, it’s a time of excitement and joy but for lots of people, it is not. The holidays can be really stressful and we often find comfort in the holiday’s treats and goodies that are EVERYWHERE!

If you need a refresher on how carbs can hijack your brain chemistry and raise your serotonin and dopamine levels, send me an email at excelweightloss@gmail.com and I’ll send you a video that explains exactly how this works.

In the meantime, know that there is a reason WHY you are craving all that sugar and those comfort foods and also know that there are ways to make it better! There IS hope. Family issues, money, time, and food struggles don’t have to sabotage your efforts to be healthy. There is a story behind the cravings and emotional eating and the story can have a happy ending.

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Yummy Meal for a Good Dose of B Vitamins

Low levels of vitamin B12 can be associated with certain conditions like digestive problems, some types of anemia, fatigue, weakness, memory loss or other problems with the nervous system.  Low levels are more likely in people over the age of 50.

Some good food sources are:

• Fish and shellfish
• Meats
• Poultry and eggs
• Dairy products
• Fortified cereals

Folic acid (folate) is especially important during periods of rapid cells growth such a during infancy and pregnancy, but it’s also needed to make red blood cells and to help prevent anemia and it may also help prevent changes to DNA that can lead to cancer, according to WebMD.

Good food sources include:

• Leafy green vegetables, like spinach, broccoli, and lettuce
• Beans, peas, and lentils
• Fruits like lemons, bananas, and melons
• Fortified and enriched products, like some breads, juices, and cereals

To amp up your diet, enjoy a yummy meal of steak, shrimp, and a green salad topped with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  The carbs are low and the health benefits are great.

Do You Self-Medicate with Carbs?



If you’ve ever “self-medicated” with carbohydrates, what you’re about to read will totally resonate with you.  Carbohydrates indirectly raise the serotonin levels in our brains.  Serotonin is that “feel good” hormone that calms us down and helps us feel more relaxed.  It helps regulate our mood, metabolism and appetite.  If you’ve ever: soothed your anxious brain with a tub of raw cookie dough; crunched out your frustrations with a bag of potato chips; buried your shame with seconds or thirds at dinner; raised your spirits with a box of cereal; drowned your sorrows in a bowl of ice cream; eased your loneliness with a pan of brownies; eased your pain with a plate of pasta or found friendship with a pizza, you know what I’m talking about.  IT’S NOT ABOUT THE FOOD!  We just want to feel better. 



When we consume carbohydrates, the insulin produced in response to the higher blood sugar levels allows more tryptophan, an amino acid, to enter the brain. Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin, and, once in the brain, nearly all the tryptophan is converted into serotonin.  This is evidenced by the drowsiness that can accompany a carbohydrate binge and it also helps explain why many of my clients say they’d “kill for chocolate” but not for a hard-boiled egg!

A good place to start is by getting the excess sugar out of your diet.  Our 14-day Family-Friendly Sugar Detox gives you the menus and recipes you need to prepare foods that you and your family are familiar with PLUS easy solutions to make them work for EVERYONE in the home. Go to SHOP to purchase this fantastic 14 day detox. 

This program includes 14 days of menus – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Here’s what it doesn’t have:

• Added Sugars
• Processed Food
• Wheat
• Gluten
• No artificial sweeteners

It Does Have:

• Lots of healthy protein
• Healthy fats
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Easy ways to have leftovers that everyone will love
• Family friendly ingredients you can generally find in your cupboard, right now.

After completing the 14-day Meal Makeover Plan, you can:

• Feel Calmer and happier
• Find that your clothes fit better
• Get better sleep
• Increase your energy
• Have better mental clarity and ability to focus
• Get your family off the sugar train
• Detox your body of artificial ingredients that hinder weight loss efforts
• Improve your digestion