I probably should have written this before Thanksgiving, but I guess better late than never.

We filmed the show through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas last year. I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to enjoy all the yummy food that I normally would enjoy during the holidays, and I was right. I didn't eat a lot of the crap that I normally ate. Cookies, pies, chocolate, and candy were all on my list of things to eat. Last year, I didn't eat any of those things and I lived to tell about it. When you have the possibility of winning $50,000, it is very easy to turn down those things when they are offered to you. It is definitely a whole different ballgame when there is no contest, no tv show, and no money! Dawn taught me some tips and tricks to make it through the holidays. Last year I lost weight during the holidays. This year my goal is to just maintain.

Here are the tips that helped me:

1. Focus on family and friends, not the food.

2. Skip the appetizers.

3. Only eat when you have a table, plate, and chair. Don't just stand around mindlessly munching on food.

4. Fill half your plate with veggies.

5. Pick your one favorite dish and make sure you eat some of that!

6. Skip foods that are just 'eh. If you can buy it at a grocery store, you can skip it. If it is something that your Grandma makes that you can only get once a year, take some.

7. Drink lots of water and skip drink calories.

8. Go for a walk.

9. If someone offers you dessert and you feel like it would be rude to turn it down, take it home. Then you can toss it without anyone knowing :). If you do decide to have dessert, pick your one favorite and only eat that. Don't take a little of every dessert. Too many choices is a bad thing.

10. Remember it's progress, not perfection. If you mess up, own it and move on.

Hopefully these tips will help you as much as they help me. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!