Tis’ the season for eating, but not necessarily for falling back into unhealthy habits! Although many Americans feel the average weight gain over the holidays is at least 5 pounds, a 2000 study showed that about one pound is the more typical between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. The more active a person, the less the weight gain. Also, those who were already overweight gained significantly more weight.
Here are some simple tips to avoid the extra holiday pounds.
Stay active. Regular exercise not only burns the calories, but helps reduce stress levels. Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the season rob you of your exercise time. Schedule it into your day.
Don’t forget regular meals and snacks throughout the busy days of preparation. Letting yourself get overly hungry can lead to overeating.
Take healthy foods to holiday parties: low-fat dips and baked chips, vegetable trays or salads, casseroles made with low-fat ingredients, fruit with fat-free cream cheese dip are all great choices.
Before parties, have a piece of fruit and drink a tall glass of water, especially if the party is beyond your usual meal time. This will help take the edge off your hunger.
Put the focus on family and friends, not food. For many this is easier said than done. Think about what’s really important. Make a goal to find out something new about each person and catch up with what’s happened during the year.
While preparing holiday foods, chew sugar-free gum to decrease “sampling.”
Decide in advance what foods you want to splurge on, avoid altogether or just sample. Choose carefully, and remember an occasional splurge is normal. But if you’ve got parties every day for two straight weeks, you’ll certainly want to pace yourself. Decide what’s more special….Grandma’s homemade pecan pie or the store-bought cheesecake someone brought to the office party.
Choose a smaller plate, such as one meant for salads or desserts rather than the extra-large dinner plates that hosts often provide.
Eat slowly and savor every bite. Put your fork down between bites.
Learn to say “No, but thank you,” with a delicate touch.
Don’t wear your expandable clothing. Wear garments that are more fitted so that you’ll have an automatic signal to slow down.
Remember, alcohol has calories too. Choose zero-calorie beverages or alternate between those with calories and those without.
Use lower fat ingredients for holiday baking: applesauce or fat-free sour cream in place of oil, low-fat cheese for regular cheese, low-fat cream soups in casseroles, fat-free sour cream or cream cheese in dips, fat-free condensed milk and egg substitutes in pumpkin pie. Skim the fat off meat drippings before making gravies.
Check your list of items you are preparing to see what can be made ahead and frozen. You can start working on a holiday party a month or more in advance if you plan ahead.
Choose a turkey that is not self-basting. You can baste with a fat-free broth. Remember that the 16-quart Saladmaster roaster is an excellent way to cook a turkey!
Stock up ahead of time on disposable containers and send all the high-fat leftovers home with guests!
Plan ahead. Use daily and weekly lists to space out tasks and avoid the last-minute rush. Accept your limitations and realize you can’t and shouldn’t do everything. Don’t over-extend your energy or your finances.
Take time to de-stress. Get a massage or take a candle-light bubble bath.
Create fun-filled holiday memories by choosing fun activities such as ice skating, skiing, building a snowman, sledding or snow-shoeing. Or for warmer climates try taking an evening walk to view holiday lights. Biking is also a great family activity. Kids love to decorate their bikes for Christmas and have a neighborhood parade.
If you’ve strayed from your regular routine, get right back into your best exercise and healthy eating habits the day after a holiday. If you step on the scale and find you weigh 5 pounds more than you did the week before, realize that some of this is probably fluid weight and it will take a little time for your body to get back to normal.