10 healthy holiday eating do's and dont's... for Busy Moms.

You've got presents to buy, wrap and send off, Christmas Decorations to put up, Guests to cook for and entertain. So how do you manage to do all that and eat healthily and exercise. Here are 10 tips to help you do just that.

DO:

• Do eat low-fat dairy products. Substitute low-fat dairy in all recipes that call for dairy.

• Do eat lean meats. Trim off the visible fat from all meat. Remove the skin from chicken and poultry. Bake turkey on a rack so that fat drips away.

• Do plan in advance to avoid high-fat, high calorie Holiday fare offered at office parties and family gatherings. You can fill up on healthier food such as vegetables and fruit or soup before you attend these gatherings. Or you could offer to prepare a healthier alternative for yourself and other weight watchers.

• Do keep low-fat frozen dinners, sandwich & tortilla fillings and healthy pre-cooked meals on hand for days when there's no time to cook.

• Do center holiday entertainment around non-food related activities.

Don't:

• Don't make the mistake of 'saving up' calories by going hungry before a party. This will only make you so hungry that you're sure to overeat, and be less likely to make healthier choices.

• Don't start a new diet at this time of the year. It is difficult to focus on new eating habits when you are surrounded by so many temptations.

• Don't try to loose weight. Instead focus on maintaining your weight by watching your portions and making healthier choices.

• Don't stand next to the buffet table. Put some small portions of the healthiest choices onto a plate. Then move to the opposite end of the room and start mingling with the other guests.

Hi and welcome to easy weight-loss strategies for busy moms.
As a mom, I don't have the time to spend hours preparing complicated meals or doing exercises, but I still want to look and feel at my best with loads of energy to carry me through the day.

Do you feel the same way? Do you want your diet and exercise routine to fit into your schedule and lifestyle, instead of the other way around, then you've come to the right place.

Through this blog I hope to share with you quick exercises that produce maximum results in minimum time , weight-loss tips that peel of the pounds, and more. Everything that I will share with you on this blog has been designed with a two important criteria in mind: 1 - It must be quick and easy
2 - It must be safe - the "no pain, no gain" philosophy has no place here.

I also want to mix things up here. I want to add some video's , audio, slide-shows etc. to make things even more interesting and to provide you with valuable and actionable content.

I am a 32 year-old work at home mom with 4 kids (Ages, 12, 9, 6 & 2) - And my husband & I are planning to foster an 8 year old orphan starting next year. I run several internet based businesses from home and this year I have just written my Real Estate Exam. In 2008 I hope to get actively involved in the property market.

In addition to these "jobs" I have the usual tasks assigned to all mothers - cooking, household tasks, spending quality time with family and friends and so on.

For the first 30 years of my life, I've had no problems with my weight. I've been able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted and never gain an ounce of weight. My figure and wash-board tummy were the envy of all my friends. And I never exercised, ever!

But alas, that happy state of affairs didn't last forever. When I hit my thirties, I began to pile on the weight. I put on over 25lb in under 2 years. It seemed as if the wonderful metabolism that I had been blessed with had ground to a halt.

Wanting to look sexy again (along with some nasty comments from others) prompted me to take things into my own hands. For the first time in my life I started to watch what I ate and I started exercising regularly.

I found that much of what I had learned about healthy eating and exercising had been wrong. And so my self-education into the world of healthy eating and living began. But to my dismay many of the 'guru's' and experts promoted unrealistic programs - eating mainly raw foods, eliminating coffee (what!) and long and torturous cardio routines.

But I kept searching for a quicker, easier way that would fit into my busy lifestyle. I can't profess to have found the answer in one amazing diet and exercise program - more like tidbits here and there. And my needs have been constantly changing too.

So look at this blog like a buffet, try out what appeals to you and leave the rest. Enjoy!