Deidra Mangus

One of the hardest times to stay healthy is during the crazy super bowl weekend!! There are parties everywhere, along with tempting food and alcoholic beverages! Two things that can totally ruin your hard work that you put in during that week! Literally you go 1 step forward to potentially 2 steps back!
So its time to think about your goals, WHY you want to achieve your goals, and think about HOW important they really are to you.. What will you do to reach your goals? Will you do whatever it takes??
A great way to figure out if this lifestyle change is truly a big importance to you is by figuring out what you are willing to do to get there…
For instance, say you on top of a building and you are asked to walk a tight rope across with the potential of falling off, BUT you would get paid 100$.. Most likely that 100$ is not worth it right??
Now say you are in the same position on top of a building, but your child is on the other side and a fire is starting… Not offering 100$ anymore, would you do it?? Most loving and caring parents would not question walking that rope to get their child.
This shows you if something is important enough for you, you will do what it takes.  But you have to have an important WHY behind your goal!
So back to the super bowl weekend.. I know its the perfect time to party.  But I need to ask, do you have to eat and drink in order to have a great time??
Are your current cravings more important than your long term goals?
If you can stay strong and give yourself 100% commitment and dedication, those small sacrifices you make will get you a long way to HUGE SUCCESSES!!

So just a few tips to keep in mind this weekend:
-Do NOT go to a party hungry! I will usually have a SHAKEOLOGY Shake prior to a party so I am not tempted for food or snacking.. It also helps me with my cravings
-WATER WATER WATER! I take water and extra bottles everywhere I go!! This way if I am at a party and they do not have water, I am not out of luck!
-Pack healthy SNACKS! I usually have Quest bars (protein bars you can get at GNC), string cheese, almonds, and dry edamame in my purse in case of an emergency!! If you do not carry a purse, keep them in your car! The last thing you want is to want to stay on track,  but not have anything readily available for you!!
-Learn to say NO THANK YOU! When your out at a party and everyone wants you to dig into wings, fried food, and desserts, it is important for you to take the lead, be responsible for yourself and your actions and say NO THANK YOU. You are not being rude for wanting to be healthy and if they are your true friends and important people in your life, they will understand this is important to you. Its YOUR health, NOT theirs!
-Watch your alcohol intake! This is very important! We do not realize how fast alcohol adds up our caloric intake.. I’m talking beer, shots, and mixed drinks!! Of course, the fruity drinks have tons of sugar and artificial sweeteners.. that’s a NO NO!
Here is an example of your alcoholic beverages and how they add up.

So for those of you who are not drinkers, I want to make you aware of the non-alcoholic beverages that also add up your calories fast! This is why I stick to water and add a lemon or some sort of fresh fruit or herb! The more natural, the better off you are! Stay away from the chemicals, sugars, and especially the artificial sweeteners!! Yes, I’m including your DIET POP (soda)!!

I know many people think regular pop is not good for you, so they move right to DIET… I have news for you.. This is NOT any better!! Actually there are MORE chemicals, and the artificial sweeteners are terrible for you!! It will effect your mind (concentration), your energy, your cravings will increase, and you may find yourself getting frequent headaches.. This is also why you get headaches when trying to stop using diet drinks because your body is so use to them and is withdrawing from it.  As bad as it sounds, it is a DRUG!

 The artificial sweetener that is in almost every drink is called Aspartame.

Look at the back of the labels of every beverage, ESP diet drinks!! Im even including crystal light drinks!

I think I made my point with how much liquid calories add up, but I have to make sure I do not miss anything and help you understand this as much as possible!
So now onto food!! I already said about the fried food and desserts we all know are a NO NO right?! So one thing I personally do is when I bring a tray, I make it healthy! I am not only making this for me, but making an attempt to help others be healthy also! I have made anything from huge Greek salads to dips such as Quinoa layered dip, to desserts such as black bean brownies!! Yes, they ALL end up turning out perfect and being a hit!!
If you do not have any healthy options, the next best thing is to PORTION CONTROL!! I know our taste buds get excited, but it is important for us to be in control! I keep a motivational picture and quote on my phone that I can pull out any time I want to binge or give in.  It truly helps if you actually pull it out when needed.

Here are some awesome recipes I use to take to parties and are definitely on the healthy and clean list!!