Pumpkin is a classic holiday food…pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies…you name it! The good news is that pumpkin is chock full ‘o goodness. You can tell by its bright color that it’s going to be full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! Not only is pumpkin loaded with vitamin A and antioxidant carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta-carotenes, it’s a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron. Pumpkin is also full of complex carbohydrates and fiber. For instance, half a cup of canned pumpkin has 6.5 grams of complex carbohydrates and 3.5 grams of fiber.

Below is a recipe for a classic crustless pumpkin pie. When you are in the process of losing weight, it is best not to deprive yourself of anything that you enjoy. Therefore, enjoy the best part of the pie-the filling! Skip all the sugar, saturated fat, and calories in the crust. This holiday treat is less than 100 calories per slice, has 2g of fiber, and is low in sodium! This recipe is Diabetic friendly and also tastes just as delicious with sugar substitutes.

Basic Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 1/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ cup refrigerated egg product, or 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup evaporated fat-free milk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, honey, and pie spice. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat lightly until just combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into prepared pan and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is set. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

This year Halloween lands on Monday with the beloved Trick-or-Treating that evening.  We understand, those with children, grandchildren, activities, parties, and those who love just passing out candy to those adorable neighborhood children, not being able to attend the clinic that evening so we have decided to close down the office that day and move the OPTIFAST class to Tuesday, November 1st.  It will be the same time and the same location in Apex, but just allow for those not wanting to miss class to catch it on Tuesday.

If anyone will be low on supplements that day, please remember to pop into our clinic on Friday, with early morning hours (open at 7am) in Apex, and afternoon hours in Holly Springs (1-5pm).  If you need to schedule an appointment for prescriptions, please just call and we will find a time that will work for you.

All of us at Peak Weight Loss want to wish you a Happy and Safe Halloween!

            The Holiday Season is here!!!!!  This is a perfect time to relax and enjoy.  It is also a time to test your food management skills and goals.  Below is a variety of helpful suggestions for food selection and psychological well-being. 

• Don’t be unrealistic or too strict.  Setting your standards too high could result in total chaos.  Decide ahead of time which foods are your absolute favorite and enjoy them in moderation.  Skip the other foods that are not as tempting and you know you could do without. 
• Bring some food of your own if you are going to relatives or a party.  Make some healthy favorites such as hummus and crackers or fresh fruit and fill up on them and nibble on the rest of your favorites.
• Make better bad choices.  Honestly this is easy.  Find some healthier versions of the foods you love.  I would never go without my pumpkin pie on the holidays, but I always make it myself with half the sugar and on an apple oatmeal crust. 
• If you are eating at a buffet decide ahead of time to eat a large salad with nothing but vegetables and a little vinaigrette salad dressing or some vegetarian broth based soup.  Then wait 5-10 minutes and go back for one more plate only.
• Eat slowly.  It takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to tell your stomach it is full.  Most likely everybody around you will be constantly eating so eating as slow as you can will help you eat less and eat longer. 
• Have a finisher food.  Decide what food is your favorite (typically this is desert) and take a small portion of this food and tell yourself ahead of time that this will be the last food you eat.  Eat this food even slower. 
• Drink plenty of water.  Your body has a hard time telling the difference between thirst and hunger. 
• After a meal, go for a walk with your family to see holiday displays in your neighborhood. 
• Don’t stand or sit in view of the food.  Decide ahead of time what and how much you are going to eat and then depart.  After you are finished eating either go brush your teeth or start chewing gum to tell yourself that you are done eating. 
• Don’t go to any meal famished.  Remember to eat a minimum of three meals a day even on THANKSGIVINING!!!!!  Appetite increases and self-control decreases when your meals are too spaced apart.  If you go to the main meal after you have been starving yourself all day of course you will overeat.
• Focus on family, friends, and the meaning behind the holiday.  Believe it or not the holidays are not all about food.
• Be realistic. During the peak of holiday season maintaining weight loss may be more of a realistic goal than losing weight. 
• Include a leafy green salad with lunch and dinner meals and do the dipping method when using salad dressing.
• Go easy on the alcohol. 
• Aim for lower calorie beverages, such as light beer or wine, and limit yourself to 1-2 beverages.
• Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!   It is much harder to binge yourself silly on the holidays when you keep up with your exercise routine.  Exercise is a natural appetite suppressant, mood enhancer, and stress reliever.   
• Stay Positive!  If you eat more than you planned, remember tomorrow is a new day. Get back on track with a brisk walk and include a salad at your meals.
• The holiday season can be a very stressful time for some.  Two of the most important things to do for yourself is take care of yourself physically (eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising) and emotionally.  Take time by yourself and relax and take stock of your emotional well-being.  It is ok to say no to people or tell people you have too much to do and cannot meet their expectations.