5 Tips To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

If your days are packed with office goodies and your nights are full of holiday parties, I feel ya. There is temptation at every turn. You don't have to gain weight during the holidays, though. A few simple tricks can help you start 2015 without adding a single pound.

RELATED: Which Produce Is Best For Weight Loss?

Do Juice Cleanses Really Work?

With the indulgent holiday season up on us, a number of my friends are planning juice fasts to "get rid of the toxins" they consumed in November and December. Heck, after having wine at just about every meal in Paris, Lord knows my liver needs a break.

I love a good juice fast as much as the next person. It can help you drop a few pounds quickly and are a good way to get a large amount of nutrients efficiently. I have a green juice three of four times a week. As for the whole "ridding our bodies of toxins" thing, I am not so sure. Scientists have repeatedly said that a quality, produce-heavy diet does the job.

Dr. Linda Lee, the Director of John Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center in Maryland, tells the Wall Street Journal that the term "cleanse" is nothing more than a marketing tool and there is no science to prove that fasting cleanses the system.

That marketing is working. Sales of "superpremium juice" was more than $1.4 billion in 2013, up from $1 billion in 2010.

This is a situation in which you need to do what works for you. Will your body be free of the damage caused by a month-long feast of champagne, cheese, steak and indulgent desserts with a 10-day cleanse in January? Probably not. Will you drop a few pounds? Likely. Will that make you feel better about yourself? If so, go for it but be smart and do your homework.

Finding Juice Fasts That Work For You

There are a TON of juice fasts to choose from. I have done the Blueprint Cleanse, Suja Juice and a variety of my own. Prepared fasts are expensive which is why I enjoy making my own juice. That, however, can be labor intensive and messy. Gilt City always has sales on juice fasts. They're currently offering deals on American Juice Company and Oui Juice. Bliss is also offering the Joule Body Cleanse, which I have done in the past, too. 

I use a Breville Juicer and make my own recipes adapted from a variety of books I have read over the years. The 3-Day Cleanse is a good one.

Are you a juicer? Are there any juice fasts you swear by and love?

Browse Juices, Juicers & Juicing Books

5 Observations About Paris

Christmas carousel on the Place du Trocadéro next to the Eiffel  Tower

We're back from 10-plus days in Paris and are already planning a trip for 2015. Friends ask "Why do you continue to go back to a place you have visited so many times?"

Many reasons, really. In a foreign country, no matter what it is, you will always find something new to love and appreciate no matter how many times you visit. We enjoy revisiting favorite experiences like people watching at the George V hotel or visiting the Christmas markets. But we also enjoy discovering new places, like we did on our visit to Château de Fountainebleu.

Regardless, there are some things I distinctly noticed on this trip. Here are my most recent observations. Please tell me what you think in the comments section.

Better Kids Meals

We took our daughter, Jordan, with us for the third straight year. This was the first time she was able to eat pretty much what we did. At many restaurants, there are kid's menus but they're nothing like we have in the States. There isn't a chicken finger or mini pizza to be found. Most kid's menus consist of a steak or hamburger patty and potatoes, guinea fowl (offered everywhere), fish and vegetables or sausage and potatoes.

Jordan eating her steak and potatoes at Restaurant Astier

Jordan, who is going through the fussy eater phase, usually ate the steak and potatoes after filling up on a ton of bread. Interestingly, by the end of the trip she was much more interested in trying what we were eating. I had an epic seafood tower at Bar a Huitres on our last night. She wanted to try my clams as well as my husband's fish soup. I guess there is something to be said about French kids eating everything (I love the book, btw).

It's Not All Three-Course Gourmet Lunches And Wine

Don't be fooled that every French meal is a three course feast with wine. Parisians will eat a grab and go meal faster than you can break a baguette. Because of that, I think there's a real need for more fast-casual spots in Paris.

The checkout line at the Monop'

On multiple occasions when I tried to grab a quick lunch while walking the city, I ran into lines 20-30 people deep. At the popular fast-casual London export Pret-A-Manger, there were at least 50 people in line to buy a quick sandwich or soup. At the Monop', something akin to an upscale grocery store, the lunch line was at least 25 people deep.

This was at our local grocery store.

Other things I saw: diet food and the French version of DIY Mexican food, Old El Paso. I swear I could make a fortune opening up a Tex-Mex joint in Paris.

French Formality is NOT Rudeness

I have blogged about this before but the French get a bad rap for being rude. They are polite and expect more of the same. In the half a dozen times I have been there, on trips of 10 days or more, I have only encountered one rude waiter. One. That's it. For the most part, everyone has been cordial, warm and downright fun. Flirtatious, even.

RELATED: My Paris Travel Tips Video

A simple 'bonjour', 'au revoir', 'merci' and 's'il vous plait' go a long way. Take it a step further and practice your high school French. You will be rewarded with an impromptu French lesson and perhaps a new friend. Every time I spoke (really bad) French, it was appreciated and complimented.

They want politeness, manners and....

Dressing Up Still Counts

Despite how much more casual we seem to be getting as a society, people still dress well in Paris. Tennis shoes are a dead tourist giveaway. I wore Cole Haan and Alexander Wang booties with black denim jeans all over the city and felt fine.

I had an in-depth conversation about this with an Air France flight attendant. Her point was clear: their city is beautiful. They are a formal country and expect our appearance to reflect that. That is just one woman's opinion but her point is well-taken.

Interestingly, I didn't see a lot of makeup. I noticed more women sporting a natural face, not the done-up face I usually wear and see in Texas.

RELATED: 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant Review

Et Finalement, Everyone Smokes.

Yep, they still do. I saw a few e-cigarettes. They might be slowly catching on but the classic Marlborough Light still rules. 

What Do You Think?

Despite what any cynic says, Paris is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Being there is an inspiration. While the country is overwrought with exorbitant taxes and bureaucratic red tape, it's a magical place.

Le Village Royal, Paris

What do you think? Am I totally off or spot-on? What have you noticed in your travels abroad? Please share in the comments section!

Thanksgiving 2014: Why I Am Thankful For Failure (Among Other Things)

Wednesday at the Trocadero

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. It is one in which we pause for a moment to celebrate and reflect on what it is we appreciate and love in our lives.

We are spending Thanksgiving week in Paris. I am writing this from a tiny, stereotypically Parisian apartment we rented on the Ile St. Louis. We will be spending the actual holiday in Reims, starting with a 10am champagne tasting at Ruinart. Believe me: I am incredibly thankful for this experience.

On this day of reflection, I am sharing what else I am grateful for this year. I would love for you to share what it is you're grateful for in 2014. Please post in the comments section

How To Travel In Style

Traveling in style is tough. You're likely going to be on the move for a few hours (meaning your clothes will get wrinkled and dirty) but you want to be comfortable. I would love nothing more than to wear fatgirl yoga pants on every flight but that's not the smartest or most sanitary way to go. Think about that for a minute.

Moving on.

For much of my career, I was the queen of the long travel day. When covering Texas Rangers spring training, for example, I had to hop on a 6am plane to Arizona, hit the ground running once we arrived in Phoenix and be on television at 10pm that night in the same clothes I wore that morning. Yeah, no time to change, much less reapply my makeup. To that end, I have been able to adopt a travel-ready wardrobe that works. 

With most of us gearing up for a holiday trip, it's the perfect time to rethink your travel style.

Click on any item to learn more about it. 

KISS - Keep It Simple, Sister

I am a believer in wearing simple, smart yet stylish clothes on flights. Adopt a minimalist approach to dressing for the plane, with dark colors being key. You don't want to be wearing white pants, with a Diet Coke on your tray when turbulence hits. 

In the summer, I like a maxi dress with a scarf. In the winter its leggings or skinny jeans with a sweater or cardigan. I usually wear boots or Yosi Samra's genius ballet flats and ALWAYS bring socks for the plane. 

TIP: If you're bringing a pair of boots on your trip, wear them on the plane so they don't take up too much room in your bag. 

Learn To Love Layers 
I swear, no matter hot it is outside, planes are always freezing. Bring a warm scarf or cardigan with you for the flight. You do NOT want to use those nasty airline blankets. Yuck. I have a Gucci shawl I bought at an outlet store that I take with me on every trip.

Leave The Big Bling At Home

Don't wear a ton of jewelry on the plane. You will have to remove every piece of it when you go through security. I would definitely wear a watch, though. You don't want to lose track of time and miss your flight. Check out my tips on packing jewelry for a trip HERE.

Something Chic To Carry Your Crap
Your raggedy duffel bag isn't the way to go. A chic tote or shoulder bag to carry your work essentials, makeup, wallet, etc. goes a long way in pulling together your travel look. From Tory Burch's York Buckle Tote and GiGi New York's Hobo bag to Gucci's Swing Leather Tote (my current carryall) and C. Wonder's affordable finds, there are so many wonderful bags to choose from in a range of price points. 

What Do You Think? 

Am I hitting or missing the mark? Let me know in the comments section. What's your go-to travel outfit? If you have a travel look you love, please share it and tag me on Instagram or Twitter.

Shop This Story 

The New York Times & Wall Street Journal Spotlight Texas Travel

Texas is having a travel moment. Our fair state got a cover spread recently in the New York Times travel section with Robert Draper's "Texas, 3 Ways" profiling Houston, El Paso and Dallas. The state capital earned the spotlight in the Wall Street Journal's  "Austin, the Best New Barbecue Destination".

"Texas, 3 Ways"

Yoga in Klyde Warren Park/Image via Klyde Warren Park

Dallas

Klyde Warren Park gets the marquee treatment, describing the park over Woodall Rogers Freeway as an "eco-friendly shredder of stereotypes" with its weekend yoga, food trucks, free books and pet adoptions.

Is the big-haired, plasticity that is my home town gone? Hardly. I am living proof of that (yes, the hair is big but, no, I haven't gone under the knife). Dallas, though, has grown both literally and figuratively in a way that anyone who lived here in the 80's might not recognize.

TIP: You can always find out what's going on at Klyde Warren Park here.

Houston
I love that Draper chose to focus on Houston's thriving Asian community. Having gone to college at University of Houston, I discovered the wonderful Vietnamese community the Bayou City had to offer, mainly in food form. I lived on Kim Son's delicious cuisine before it was a chain and scouted tiny Vietnamese holes-in-the-wall downtown.

Draper is more interested in the unique spots on Bellaire Boulevard which are, undoubtedly, worth a visit, especially the Hong Kong City Mall. I would make the argument that Houston's Asian community is SO much more than one stretch of Bellaire Boulevard.

El Paso
I have only flown through El Paso and have never experienced the city. Given it's Mexican influences, I would love it.

"Austin, the Best New Barbecue Destination"

Salt Lick BBQ/Image via Twitter.com/SaltLickBBQ

I joke that Austin is the Brooklyn of Texas. This piece doesn't introduce those who know Austin to anything, food-wise, that's earth shattering. Author Adam Graham hit Salt Lick BBQ and Franklin's BBQ. Meat Craft is a relative newcomer to the mix that is worth a visit.

He does mention a hotel I haven't had the pleasure of visiting: Hotel Ella, an historic property dating back to 1900 that opened as a hotel in 2013.

Your Turn: Share Your Favorite Texas Travel Spot

Bahlmorhea State Park/Image via Texas Parks & Wildlife

Do you have a favorite Texas vacation destination? I love that whole Big Bend area, Balmorhea State Park, Marfa or a good trip to the Hill Country. What am I missing? Please share your favorite Texas travel stops in the comments section.

Do you have a Texas lover on your holiday wish list? From t-shirts and jewelry to BBQ sauce and brisket, you can make his or her holiday with any of the Texas-themed gifts featured below. Check out my Texas style board on Pinterest.

Texas Holiday Gift Guide

Don't Fear The Decorator! Try Online Interior Design Services

A photo of my funky seating area, taken with my crappy iPhone camera I sent to Liz.

I have a confession to make: interior decorators scare me. I have marched into locker rooms, delivered commencement addresses, covered shuttle crashes and jostled former NFL players to get a post-game interview but I fear the decorator.

I know I can benefit from their expertise but I am intimidated by them. Why? A few reasons actually. I worry that the process will take months and will cost an arm and a leg before I even walk in the door. I fear they will try to eliminate everything I have worked hard to piece together in my home while charging me a fortune for furniture that should cost a third of the price. Perhaps more than anything, I fear they'll try to make my home something it's not.

I might have found a solution.

Liz Toombs of Polka Dots and Rosebuds Interiors and creator of Out Of The Box Room Design

Kentucky-based interior decorator Liz Toombs created a phenomenal concept called Out Of The Box Room Design. It's an online consultation service where she works within your budget and your taste to make suggestions based on your preferences. It's kind of genius.

My actual Out of the Box questionnaire

I struggle with my living room. It's a funky layout and, admittedly, our furniture isn't best suited for the space. I filled out her comprehensive online questionnaire and talked to her on the phone. I had to send her pictures of the room as well as some key measurements.

Within about a week, Liz delivered a comprehensive design proposal featuring photos of pieces that would work, instructions and an exact shopping guide. I was blown away.

Liz's instructions and shopping guide

I love this concept. Liz made smart suggestions that were incredibly affordable based on my taste. But to that point, I can use her recommendations as a guideline for reimagining my living room. I can also incorporate them on my own timeline. If I want to add pillows now, great. If I want to do it in three months when they're on sale, even better.

Product suggestions Liz made for my house

This service is outstanding for anyone who shares my decorator phobia and is on a limited budget. I also think it's ideal for someone who lives in a rural area or has a second home in the middle of nowhere. My parents, for example, have ranch in Mineola which is about 80 miles east of Dallas. It's not practical for them to bring a decorator out there from Dallas or try to find one in Tyler. But for them to exchange a few emails and some phone calls? No problem.

Liz's service is incredibly affordable, ranging from $225 for a foyer or hallway to $600 for a kitchen. She also does nurseries. (Where was she when we were designing Jordan's room!). Click here for more information on Out Of The Box Room Design services.

*Design consultation was provide for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine.