Articles-Nutrition
Stop Holiday Weight Gain in its Tracks
10 tips to enjoy the holidays without packing on the pounds.
By Kelly James-Enger
Stop Holiday Weight Gain in its Tracks
It’s difficult enough to eat healthfully and stick to a workout program even under the best circumstances. Throw in the holidays—what often seems like five straight weeks of celebrating, partying and eating—and you may feel doomed to failure.
If the holidays have derailed your good intentions in years past, take heart. We’ve got 10 tips to help you enjoy this special time without packing on an extra 2, 5 or even 10 pounds—and without resorting to taping your mouth closed, either.
Adopt the right mindset
Are you filled with dread at the approaching holidays? Get a grip, says registered dietitian Suzanne Eberle, author of Endurance Sports Nutrition (Human Kinetics, 2000.) "I don’t talk about surviving the holidays—I talk about enjoying the holidays," Eberle says. "Don’t fret over every single thing—keep your eye on the big picture, balancing your physical activity and your eating over several days, just like we do the rest of the year."
That kind of attitude will make the holidays more fun and less guilt-laden, agrees nutritionist Liz Applegate, author of Bounce Your Body Beautiful (Prima, 2003). "I think what’s important is that it’s holiday time. It’s family time and time for tradition," Applegate says. "It doesn’t mean you have to feel guilty about eating the holiday cookies, but going in with the mindset of, `I’m going to enjoy myself, I’m going to enjoy conversation, I’m going to enjoy seeing people I haven’t seen in a while.’"
Stick to your routine
Yup, you’re busy. But maintaining your regular exercise routine will decrease stress and make you less likely to put on weight. "I have people make a list of what they’re going to do and what they’re going to give up. Whether it’s going to the gym or for a walk or to the aerobics classes that meet at a certain time, that has to stay in the picture," Eberle says. But do you really have to hand-design the perfect Christmas card and then send it to 500 people? Can you rely on catalogs this year instead of hitting the stores? Sacrifice what you don’t have to do so you have time for your workouts.
"At this time of year, there is the opportunity to eat more calories and we want to be able to partake of that. That’s the balancing game—keep burning calories. And with muscle mass, we can afford more of the things we want," Eberle says. "Number two, it’s a great way to relieve stress and bond with people, and it doesn’t always have to be over food." And finally, research suggests regular exercise may help moderate your appetite—which means you’ll eat less than if you skip your workouts for a month.
Take the focus off of food
While the holidays may seem to center around food, it doesn’t have to be that way. "When you go in to each party, each family dinner, think, `what is the event about?’" suggests Applegate. "Is it about food or sharing the good times and seeing family and friends?" If cooking or baking with your friends and family is an important part of your holiday celebrations, try to strike a balance between that and other activities.
Think of all the things you can do with your family besides eating. Create and decorate ornaments together. Go ice-skating, biking or walking as a group. Have a family game night or play cards—a huge game of "go fish," spoons or old maid is fun for kids and adults. Rent some favorite holiday movies and watch them as a group.
Choose wisely
OK, you’ve arrived at your neighbor’s open house or the office holiday bash. The food looks delicious and smells even better. Hold on! Before you grab your plate, get an idea of what’s being offered. "At a party, I recommend taking your time to look at what’s being served. Walk up and down the table and see what all the options are before you dive in," Eberle says. "Think, `What do I really want?’ versus filling up on what’s there. I try to steer away from things you can get every day—nuts, cheese, crackers, olives and bread. These aren’t special—you can be more adventuresome than that! Go for the dessert that Granny only makes once a year and forget the everyday items."
Don’t stand around the table—get what you want and move away from where the food is being served. And don’t be the first one in line at the table—slow down and let some people go before you. Food doesn’t look so appealing when people have picked over it.
Go easy on the alcohol
Don’t make the mistake of downing a few drinks to get in the spirit of the season. "Women need to slow down when it comes to alcohol—there are a lot of calories in it," Eberle says. "You can’t just say, `I had a couple of glasses of wine’—wine glasses come in different sizes. Beer has about 12 calories an ounce; wine, 20 to 25 calories an ounce, so it really depends on how big the wine goblets are, hard stuff 75 to 80 calories an ounce." On average, a serving of alcohol has about 150 calories, but you can easily consume more than that.
Make your first drink non-alcoholic like sparkling water, diet soda or tomato juice. Start drinking early and it’s easy to go overboard and toss your good intentions out the window. "You move from enjoying yourself to over-enjoying yourself and then you pay for it the next day," Eberle warns.
Be realistic
The holidays are not the time to insist on sticking to a rigid diet. Plan on some splurges, and you won’t feel guilty or angry at yourself afterward. A big part of socializing is eating, and if you refuse to swallow anything but celery sticks and rice cakes you may feel resentful and cranky—not quite how you want to spend the holidays!
Forget perfection. Shoot for "pretty good." That goes for the rest of the celebrations as well. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart or bake six kinds of Christmas cookies from scratch to make sure your holidays are wonderful for you and your family. Accept that your expectations may be a little high, and instead of the perfect holiday decorations or the most fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime gifts, aim for pretty good ones instead.
Get enough pillow time
With holiday shopping and socializing added to your already-busy schedule, you may be tempted to skimp on shut-eye this time of year. Don’t. Tired people are irritable, distracted and spacey—and often hungrier as well. If you don’t get enough REM sleep, you may affect your body’s natural circadian rhythms which control metabolism, and may be hungrier than usual. Maintaining your usual sleep patterns will also help you cope with seasonal stressors better, too.
Forget "banking" calories
Many women try to "save" calories throughout the day before a big dinner or evening celebration. The fact is that this almost always backfires, and you’re so hungry by the time the event arrives you make up for the calories you missed and then some. Eat the way you normally would—starting with breakfast, of course—and spread your calories throughout the day. Then, have a small, healthy snack before heading out so you’re not starving when you arrive. Fruit, soup, or a half-sandwich will take the edge off your appetite.
Sweat a little extra
Although you’re busy, the holidays can be a great time to increase the intensity of your regular workouts. "To me, that’s actually the time I exercise a little more," Applegate says. "You need to get away from a little of the craziness and you need time for yourself." An extra-challenging workout will not only burn some extra calories, it also gives you a chance to forget your stressors. When you feel overwhelmed, an intense interval workout or circuit training session will leave you feeling better than simply zoning out at a more moderate pace. Research also shows that weight lifting reduces anxiety, possibly because of the necessary focus on the activity it involves.
Start anew
You say last year the holidays undid three months worth of hard work? That doesn’t have to be the case this year. Decide that this year, you’ll eat healthfully, maintain your exercise program, and treat yourself to some splurges. You’re in control of what you do—not anyone else. It all starts with your attitude.
"If you change your mind first, then it’s easier to change what you do. If you just change what you do, you’ll rebel," Eberle says. "It really starts with what you’re thinking. What are you telling yourself as you walk in the door at the party or into your relative’s home? What kinds of things are you saying to yourself? If it’s, `Oh no, here we go again,’ that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."
Instead, try, "I’m a smart, successful, healthy woman. I can decide how much I want to eat and choose foods that I want. I’m perfectly capable of doing that and that’s what I’m going to do." You may be amazed at what a difference a positive attitude—and belief in yourself—can do.
Original Article:
http://www.eas.com/NutritionArticles/Stop-Holiday-Weight-Gain-in-its-Tracks
