'Tis the Season to Eat with Reason
The holidays seem to be designed to make us gain weight; from family feasts to food-laden parties, to the gifts of food and drink, to the stress of social gatherings and the pressure to be as happy as everyone else around us seems to be. Indeed, for many, the holidays are viewed as a time of unavoidable indulgence, and subsequently, unavoidable weight gain. What can a health-conscious person do? The best strategy is to try to maintain your current weight while still enjoying the season. How can you do this? The following suggestions may be helpful.
Exercise! While we always suggest regular exercise, it is particularly important during the holiday season. Probably the worst mistake you can make is to use the excuse of a "hectic holiday schedule” to avoid your exercise program. According to an American study of people who have successfully lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for an average of five years, a key factor is exercise. Therefore, maintaining or even increasing your exercise regimen is a good way to allow yourself some indulgences without having to fight the battle of the bulge later on!
Think before you eat:
An ounce of prevention may well be worth a pound of cure. It can be helpful to devise a holiday eating plan. Some strategies include the following:
• If you are tempted to overeat at parties, eat a low cal snack before you leave the house. Chances are, if you arrive at a party ravenous, you will overeat.
• Don't vow to eat nothing. You will be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, limit your selections to foods you don't usually eat and keep your portions under control.
• If you are to take food, take something low in calories and high in nutrition such as veggies and dip, sliced fresh fruit, or a low cal, low fat dessert.
• If attending a buffet, make only one trip to the buffet table. First, survey all the foods, then try small portions of a variety of foods, particularly those that you don't typically consume. After you have selected your foods, move away from the table or even go to another room. This will minimize the temptation to go for seconds as well as limit nibbling. Remember, if you take something that you don't like, you don't have to eat it!
• It takes 20 minutes after you have eaten for your brain to register that you are full. Therefore, before going back for seconds, wait at least 20 minutes.
• If the party is at your house, have some disposable containers available for your guests to take home leftovers – a good way to get tempting foods out of your house!
• My favourite strategy is to have some sugarless gum with me. When I feel that I have had enough, I pop some gum in my mouth. The mint flavour deters me from eating more.
Go easy on the alcohol:
Alcohol is chock full of calories. For example, 2 ounces of alcohol contains approximately 140 calories, not including the mix. An 8 ounce glass of rum and eggnog contains 400 calories! Research suggest alcohol calories are stored as fat as opposed to being used for energy. In addition, alcohol tends to increase our appetites. You might try club soda with lime, a non-alcoholic bloody Mary, or diet soda. And as always, drink lots of water.
Food is not the only part of the holidays. Enjoy other things such as being among family and friends, the giving of gifts, and the spiritual aspects of the season. When it comes to food, forget the all or nothing mindset. Depriving yourself of treats or feeling guilty after eating them isn't a part of a healthy eating strategy and certainly isn't a part of the holiday spirit!
Wendy