My Secret To Surviving the Holidays Without Packing on the Lbs!

As most of you know, I'm a foodie. Always have been and always will be. There's is virtually nothing on earth that can stop me from gobbling away the food I love or want to try. Not even the need to slim down. And with the holiday season hastily approaching, I needed to find a solution for beating the winter weight blues.

So how do I do it? How do I stay in shape AND eat what I want? Is it possible to have it all?

Well, for starters, yes! There is a way you can munch guilt free and still keep your figure. And if you do it right, you can even get slimmer!

Last month, out of curiosity, I bought the book 8 Hour Diet and it has absolutely changed my eating life. I know a lot of people will be skeptical but it's been working for me and I love it! I've been on the 8 Hour Diet now for a month and even with a 10 day trip to NYC(aka food city!) plus Halloween tricks and treats, I still have managed to drop 3 pounds. Here's the diet in a nut shell:

-You only eat within an 8 hour time period of the day.

Ex. from 12pm-8pm

-Squeeze in a quick 8 minute workout before your first meal.

-Fit 8 superfoods into your daily meals. Ex. lean meats, nuts, 

yogurt, leafy greens, whole grain bread,etc...but you are not

limited to these foods. You can also eat what you want too!

-No snacking once you're 8 hours is up!

And that's about it! Definitely pick up a copy of the book to learn the science behind how it works. The author, David Zinczenko, does a fabulous job of explaining everything in a very easy-to-comprehend way. He discusses all the studies and proof which really got me on board and I know it will do the same for you. It's the first diet that's ever made complete sense to me and is unbelievably easy to follow.

So go ahead, have that slice of apple pie with ice cream and don't feel bad about it. Obviously, if you're looking to lose some poundage, don't go on scarfing down buckets of fried chicken and gravy in your 8 hours. Be reasonable and responsible. Eat what makes you feel good and you will get the results you want. And trust me, after the first few days on schedule, you will get used to the fasting hours and not feel starved. Here's my usual day to day eating/exercise plan:

9am - Wake up, drink 2 cups of mint green tea.

11am - Walk dogs or jog up 20 flights of stairs.

12pm - light meal. Ex: 1 egg and cheese on whole

 grain toast or turkey sandwich w/lettuce, tomato and avocado.

1pm - Gym time! 45 swim, weights or abs.(3-4 days a week)

2:30pm - Big Lunch. Ex: Chipotle steak burrito fully 

loaded or quiche and salad.

3:30pm - Juice or smoothie

6:30pm - Dinner. Ex: Baked fish and veggies, whole-grain 

spaghetti and meatballs, lamb roast and mash or

sushi night out.

7:30pm - Dessert. Ex: 1 scoop ice cream with toppings, 

a candy bar, or a cupcake.

8pm- 16 hour fasting begins