Dear Ahuva,
Chanukah is here and I have many parties to attend. I know how to handle myself at parties because I have been on the plan for some time. I already know not to go to parties while hungry. I am great with choosing the best proteins that look the “cleanest” and I know to stay away from salads that are filled with oils, starches, and fats, etc. But what do I do about doughnuts? It’s just not Chanukah without a doughnut!
Ready to Celebrate
Dear Ready to Celebrate,
I agree with you—if going through Chanukah without a doughnut will make you feel resentful and deprived, you should definitely treat yourself. A planned “cheat” does not have to derail your diet, and if everything else is as it should be, you may even lose weight over Chanukah!
My recommendation is to eat one doughnut or similar treat at some point throughout Chanukah. Telling yourself you will not eat any doughnuts or latkes, holding out for three or four days, and then eating three doughnuts and four latkes for several nights in a row definitely will sabotage your diet.
When partaking in your Chanukah delicacies keep in mind a few things:
1. Don’t eat these special treats on an empty stomach. Make sure that you have first had your regular, filling foods so that you are able to eat the Chanukah treat for enjoyment and taste. These aren’t foods to be filling up on.
2. Don’t have the doughnut in place of snacks. The snacks that we recommend between meals should have a fair amount of fiber and protein so that you are sustained until the next meal. The Chanukah treat we are discussing does not serve that purpose, and if eaten in place of proper snacks, it may cause you to overeat at a later meal or at night.
3. Have your Chanukah treat while seated, and don’t forget to use a plate. This will guarantee that your treat actually registers. When we eat without concentrating, we hardly notice or enjoy the food, and we don’t acknowledge the extra calories either.
If you find yourself not losing during certain times, this is why; hopefully, this will give you some perspective as to how careful we need to be to try to limit the non-losing days such as Chanukah and all other special events. Otherwise, it isn’t easy to make any real progress.
There are 365 days a year. Of those days, many of them are what we consider maintenance days—meaning it would be very difficult to lose weight those days, so at the very least, do your best not to gain weight. Those days include:
Friday and Shabbos: 104 days
Erev yom tov and yom tov, including Pesach: 8-10 days, Sukkos: 8-10 days, Chanukah: 8-10 days, Rosh Hashanah: 2-3 days, Purim: 2-3 days, Shavuos: 2-3 days
Vacation and travel: 10-15 days
Simchas and birthdays parties, vach nacht, upsherin, etc.: 25 days (2x a month on average)
Restaurant meals/meals prepared outside your control: 25 days (2x a month on average) Note: unless a restaurant is specially prepared for your diet, such as a restaurant with a TAP menu, the portion size will be larger and the preparation methods will result in higher calories, even if your choices are on track.
This means that a total of almost 210 days a year are not losing days! This means there are only about 155 actual losing days per year—an average of less than three days a week!
So stay strong during these times and remember that as long as you are focused on doing well you will find yourself having victories, and those are worth celebrating!
Enjoy your doughnut and then get right back on track. Don’t give up!
All the best,
Ahuva
If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail info@nutritionbytanya.com any time and I’ll be happy to help or direct you to someone who can. Thank you and have a TAPtastic day.
Ahuva Silver is a nutrition counselor and manager at Nutrition by Tanya. Ahuva makes everyone feel so welcome and comfortable, as well as motivated and encouraged. Ahuva’s motto is that taking care of yourself will make you a better and happier person, parent, spouse, and friend. It is never too late to start!
For more information on Nutrition by Tanya, including the 12 NBT locations, or the TAP (Tanya-approved products) food line, please visit NutritionbyTanya.com or call 844-Tanya-Diet (844-826-9234). For daily tips and inspiration, follow @nutritionbytanya on Instagram.
