| by John Trout
Do you find it almost impossible to watch your weight and nutrition during the holidays? You're not alone. More than half of all Americans are overweight and, on average, each Americans gain about 1 pound over the holidays.
I guess we're all in this together!
Studies show that during the holiday period, two main things influenced the holiday weight gain:
Level of hunger, and level of activity. Those who reported being less active or more hungry had the greatest weight gain.
If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you'll probably win the holiday weight battle. It's that old rule of thumb, eat less, exercise more.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain," according to Dr. Samuel Klein. He is Director of the Center for Human Nutrition as Washington University in St. Louis, MO. "Preventing the increase in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again."
The good news in all this is that most of people overestimate how much weight they gain over the holidays. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or more. The bad news is that although a 1 pound gained seems like a small amount, on average, that weight is NOT LOST during the rest of the year and those single pounds are the pounds that accumulate over the years and eventually add up to obesity.
Here are some 10 helpful hints and tips to help you avoid the weight watching issues you'll face during this joyous season.
1). "Stay active and try to stick to your regular eating and exercising routine as closely as possible."
2). "Don't let yourself get hungry. Be sure you eat your normal, healthy meals, especially breakfast. A protein rich breakfast "resets" the body and starts it off not hungry. Don't starve yourself thinking you can "save up" calories, then arrive at the party and eat enough for three people. The body just doesn't work that way."
3). "How can you keep the pounds off at calorie rich parties? Stay away from the food! Literally ... Yes, everything does look delicious, so once you have eaten no more than you normally would, stay on the other side of the room from the buffet table or appetizers tray.
4). "Wear your favorites clothes, you know, the ones that actually fit, not the ones that are 2 sizes too big that you reserve for the Chinese buffet. You'll think twice about the third helping if you can't let your belt out a notch. Always remember there's a difference of about 8 pounds between dress and sizes for women and a 10 pound difference between pant sizes for men."
5). "Food portion SIZE is the real secret. Keep salad portions large and all other portions extra small. When it comes to sweets, think quality, not availability. Just because there is 4 whole pumpkin pies on the table doesn't mean you have to eat half of one yourself. Don't be afraid to cut off "just a bite" of a high calorie treat. Put the rest back on the serving tray. If you're the host or hostess, pre-cut high calorie items into tiny portions to help your guests with the temptation of over doing it.
6). "The holidays can be a
stressful time so don't forget to set a little time aside just for You. Treat yourself to a massage or a nice facial. The link between stress and overeating is well documented so sit down, slip your shoes off and relax a little."
7). "If you are currently dieting and keeping a food diary, don't stop for the holidays. Keep up your food diary ... every day of the holiday ... it will help you pinpoint your special weaknesses. Just one 150 calorie chocolate chip cookie each day , if it puts you over your calorie count, can add up to an extra pound in as little as 3 weeks."
8). "Only eat things you really want and already know you enjoy. The holidays are often a time when people will bring their "special" (read High Calorie) holiday desserts with them to the party. Treat yourself to what you know you want and enjoy, and LEAVE THE REST IN THE SERVING DISH."
9). "Drink water instead of alcohol which has empty calories and lowers will power. Avoid sugary sodas which throw your metabolism into pendulum swings."
10). "Don't eat while you cook. Those little "tastes" can turn into 1000 calories before you've blinked. Leave the spoon licking to the children. If your concerned about "their" weight, then send them outside to play after they have finished their treat. Children at play can burn extra calories must faster than adults can, even when we try."
Well, that's all 10 tips to avoid the holiday bulge so I will leave you with this final thought... Good food and good drink tastes the same whether you eat a little or you eat a lot. The only thing you'll miss out on by eating less is the stomach ache.
Oh, and you'll still fit in your cloths next week too!
Have a HAPPY holiday.
"Stay Educated and
Stay Healthy!" - J.T.
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