Tips for Surviving Holiday Eating Without Guilt and Weight Gain

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Yes its almost time to start thinking about the holidays again: shopping for gifts, planning celebrations, and eating food! Once Thanksgiving arrives, the holiday season can seem like a non-stop eating contest straight through the end of the year! That can mean 5-6 weeks with lots of extra food!

The holiday season should be a time of celebration with friends and family, but it doesnt have to mean that healthy, mindful eating has to go by the wayside. A few changes in the way you think about food at special events can keep you on track during this busy and stressful time of year.

* Lots of goodies and snacks can make their way into your place of work in the days or weeks leading up to the actual holidays. Make it a point to eat 6-7 servings of fruit and vegetables every work day. Fill up on these lower calorie foods each day, and you will find yourself eating less of the calorie-laden foods that seem to be everywhere!

* Dont go to an event hungry! When you are hungry, its difficult to resist tempting high calorie foods, and you may end up over-eating. Try having a small meal or snack before you go. This can be especially helpful when there are lots of appetizers before a meal. If you are not hungry, you can resist a lot of the extra calories that come from appetizers.

* If you are at a buffet, look for a few lower calorie foods (like vegetables) that can fill up part your plate. Stick with one plate of food and avoid multiple trips to the buffet line. Remember, just because its there doesnt mean you have to try it all!

* Give yourself permission to have that special dessert, but stick to just one. When theres a table full of desserts at a celebration, do you really need to sample them all? Pick the one you would enjoy the most and have it! You will feel just as satisfied if you savor the dessert you want, instead of trying everything.

* Dont forget about the “liquid calories” found in wine, mixed drinks and eggnog. These can really add up fast. Once youve had a drink or two, try switching over to club soda with a twist of lemon or lime.

* Dont abandon your exercise plan during the holiday season. Taking 4-6 weeks off from your usual exercise routine makes it difficult to get started again after New Years day. If you dont exercise at all, now is a good time to start. Starting a physical activity does not require elaborate equipment or a huge investment of your time. If you are really busy, you could start simply by walking for 15 minutes a day. If 15 minutes is all you can manage during the holiday season, thats OK!

Make your holidays more about enjoying time with friends and family. With a little preparation, you can face the holiday food frenzy head-on and have no regrets about what you eat. That could mean no guilt and no resolutions needed on New Years Day!

2011, Gretchen Scalpi, RD, CDE. Publication rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reprinted intact and all links are made live.

Top 5 Kenya Safari Holiday Safety Tips

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As in any foreign country, it is wise to follow precautions for safety and security when on a safari in Kenya. When on a Kenya safari holiday there are a few things to remember, not to walk in the bush without your guide, not going too close to or feeding the animals and not swimming in rivers in case of crocs and hippos.

Your guide should explain these kinds of safety issues, but other things to factor into your safety concerns include Kenya holiday insurance, medical preparations, looking after property and money and choosing the right kinds of food and drink. Here are some tips on how to keep safe on your Kenya safari holiday.

Money Tips

Travellers’ cheques and major credit cards are generally accepted in Kenya. A small quantity of US cash, preferably, is useful. Kenya holiday makers should try to carry only a little cash with them make sure youre not an easy target for thieves. Only authorized dealers and banks are allowed to change currency. It is worth changing money at the banks or bureaus on arrival at international airports or in the major towns, where the rate of exchange is more favourable than those offered at lodges and hotels.

Security Precautions

It is important to have a record of your passport number, airline tickets and travellers cheques when you go on a safari in Kenya, and to ensure that these items are kept in a safe place separate from the originals. Make use of your hotel safety deposit box for valuable items. Avoid transactions with by-standers unless accompanied by your tour driver/guide. Beach traders can be a nuisance but they will leave you alone as soon as you firmly but politely decline any trade with them.

Medical Precautions

Malaria is endemic to much of East Africa, consult a doctor or health department for the latest anti-malaria precautions well in advance of your Kenya safari holiday, as well as finding out about any other recently recommended jabs or tablets.

Bring plenty of mosquito repellent and wear trousers, socks and perhaps long sleeves in the evenings to avoid being bitten. Most rooms, even tents, have mosquito nets or mosquito proofing and are sprayed by hotel staff before night falls. Beware of sunburn even at high altitudes where the air feels cool. Bring plenty of sun creams, hats and suitable clothing on your Kenya safari holiday.

Food & Drink in Kenya

Bottled mineral water is readily available all over Kenya and it is generally recommended that Kenya holiday makers steer clear of water other than this. There are no restrictions on the sale or consumption of alcohol in Kenya and you will find a good selection of local beers and soft drinks available, as well as imported wines, beers and spirits in many places, although these can be expensive. The quality and value of food in Kenya is generally very good. However, do eat sensibly, particularly in the first few days of your Kenya safari holiday.

Kenya Holiday Insurance

Medical insurance is strongly recommended. Nairobi has two first-rate hospitals with excellent emergency facilities. In addition to this, travel insurance covering loss of baggage, third party liability, cancellation and curtailment, etc. is also recommended for Kenya safari holidays.

Reasons to book your holiday accommodation through an auction

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Find out how bidding on a holiday rental could be the right decision for you.

It’s always exciting to win something, so imagine the feeling of winning the perfect holiday accommodation in an auction.

Holiday rentals are strongly becoming the accommodation of choice. With extra space to relax and unwind in comparison with hotels, the price per square foot can calculate up to four times less expensive in some European destinations.

In the current climate, many holiday makers look for ways to make their budget go further. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider booking your holiday accommodation through an auction.

First, Its fun
There is fun to be had in participating in an auction. The thrill of getting the winning bid can only be overshadowed by obtaining your dream holiday rental.

Great Deals
By bidding in the auction for your holiday rental you can receive savings and special offers that are not normally found through more standard holiday rental portals

Take a break, last minute
If you are looking for a last minute escape, holiday rental auctions are a good place to start, as last minute availability is often listed. Searching by date and duration saves you the time of going through pages and pages of rentals that are not available.

Keep your options open.
Have more than one favorite? Bidding in auction for a holiday rental means you can participate in more than one auction at a time. Simply stop your bids in others when you’re sure to win one.

Variety of lengths
Many standard holiday rentals can be fixed for the duration of 7 nights, with a fixed change over day. Holiday rental auctions have a variety of durations and arrival days. Auctions help you find the rental that fits the free time you have to take a vacation. In the search for a short break with a difference, a holiday rentals auction could offer an ideal solution for a stay of 2 nights or 3.

Los Angeles Cake Baking Classes for the Holidays

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In our busy, fast paced lives, the holidays supply us with a terrific opportunity to slow down and take pleasure in some of life’s simpler pleasures. One of those pleasures is holiday baking. This season, why not treat yourself to cake baking classes in Los Angeles? You’ll have fun learning this enjoyably original skill, and your friends and household will have fun enjoying the benefits!

The following are just three ways a cake baking class in Los Angeles can add to your holiday time of year:

1. Learn to construct marvelous and luscious gifts. Everybody loves getting those handmade goodies, and this time your contributions will treat and dazzle! Envision the fun of giving a gorgeously wrapped container of luscious mini cakes, hand decorated and customized for everybody on your list.

In these two-part cake baking classes in Los Angeles, you’ll be taught the secrets of baking the moist cake base, forming it into the delicate small cake pieces, and then icing and decorating them. Learn how to work with buttercream, fondant, marzipan and chocolate in combination to create striking motifs.

Learn the basics, and after prepare to unleash your creative side as you come up with your own individual designs and trimming ideas. You’ll depart with a box filled of finished small cakes, ready to savor or give as a gift.

2. Create a radiant holiday centerpiece. Your holiday table will gleam with your one-of-a-kind 3D holiday cookie centerpiece. What could be cuter than Santa and his reindeer flying over your tablecloth, saturated in interesting icing and decorations?

Made from sugar and gingerbread cookies, then iced to immaculateness, these cookies are the greatest kind of edible art! The two-day cake baking classes in Los Angeles will address demonstrations of the basic skills, next hands-on construction and completing of your very own work of art. You’ll also learn how to preserve and store your creation for years to come; that is, if you can keep the family from devouring the delightful concoctions.

3. Conquer your beginner worries of cake baking! They make it seem so easy; a little dab here, a little swoosh there, but one way or another your own cake creations never come out looking anything like the professional ones. If this sounds like you, you’ll want to sign-up and take cake baking classes in Los Angeles that cover the fundamentals.

You’ll start out by learning the baking secrets that make decorating easier, after that how to fill and ice your cakes. You’ll experience using a decorator bag and tips, practice piping, and discover how to space and write messages. Perfect for the beginner cake decorator, these cake baking classes in Los Angeles will give you the basics you’ll require before you go to more advanced decorating techniques.

So switch things up a little this time and attempt a new way to celebrate the holidays by taking cake baking classes in Los Angeles. You wont regret the time and focus you’ll spend learning this amusing hobby and your friends and relatives positively won’t regret tasting all your fresh creations!

Altitude Sickness on your Skiing Holiday

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Altitude sickness is little documented but very real problem for skiers of all abilities and levels of experience during their skiing vacations. Often a stay in an idyllic, high altitude La Plagne chalets can cause the same problems as a hike up Kilimanjaro! Here we give you the lowdown on the symptoms and experiences of skiers with altitude sickness.

What with all the rich holiday food, the intense exercise and that bottle of mulled wine you saw off around the fire of your La Plagne chalet the night before, you may put your light head and nausea down to indigestion, tiredness or even a hangover. But often, the real culprit is altitude sickness.

Altitude sickness can be a real problem for skiers, especially in high altitude locations. It is a problem which is often overlooked but which can be extremely dangerous if you find yourself affected whilst out on the slopes. Even from the comfort of your La Plagne chalet it can be an extremely unpleasant experience.

Symptoms of altitude sickness include:

Light-headedness

Physical weakness

Tiredness

Exhaustion

Nausea

Headaches

Dehydration

Mental Confusion

Trouble Sleeping
The effects of altitude sickness whilst skiing can range from the unpleasant to the extremely dangerous. You are unlikely to find yourself suffering too severely in your La Plagne chalet because skiing accommodation is often situated lower than the ski slopes themselves. But once up and ready to ski, especially at altitudes greater than 6,500 ft, you could get into real trouble.
There have been plenty of frightening reports of altitude sick skiers becoming disorientated and lost in the cold. The key, according to many health professionals, is hydration. Drinking lots of water, around 8 litres a day, can help you to fend off altitude sickness. Equally, avoiding large amounts of coffee and alcohol can help stop you becoming dehydrated and therefore altitude sick.

Ascending mountains slowly can also help to reduce the problem. Perhaps spending the first day of your skiing holiday on lower ski runs and then working your way up is advised, as this will allow your body to get used to the lack of oxygen. Above all, be sensible! If you feel unwell then avoid skiing, snuggle up in your La Plagne chalet and, if the symptoms persist, seek the advice of a local doctor who will be well versed in altitude sickness problems.