Holiday Survival Guide: 5 tips to stay healthy and slim between feasts
It’s that time of the year again and while the cooler weather and your Auntie Flora’s fried turkey might be enticing you to overindulge, it’s best to be cautious when participating in holiday feasts, where the pain and regret of the consequences often outweigh the short-term pleasures and splurges.
Sure, the holidays are meant to be enjoyed with our families, but the average American gains 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to Medical News Today. Taking this into account, we’ve made a list of tips that can help you get through this season without adding on the extra weight. 1. First and foremost: be realistic – Don’t try to lose weight during the holidays. Friends and family will most likely invite you to events and they will most likely try to stuff you to the brim. Instead try to maintain your current weight. 2. Eat what you like (and yes that includes some fat) – Eating moderate amounts of fat during the holidays will satisfy your appetite and prevent you from overeating other heavy foods such as potatoes or breads. That said, practice moderation and don’t deprive yourself of your favorite foods. Enjoy them fully and then back away from the table.
3. Don’t stop exercising – Many people tend to lay off exercise routines during the holidays and this is a mistake. Not only are you consuming more calories than normal, but you’re body is using less energy and storing all that excess food as fat: a recipe for disaster. A moderate and daily exercise routine can help offset increased holiday eating. Keep up that running! 4. Wait before grabbing seconds – The stomach needs 20 minutes or more to realize it is full. Often, we eat until the point of fullness, only to have the actual feeling of fullness kick in a little later. Give your body time to fill up before choosing to indulge on seconds. 5. Focus on family, friends and conversation, not on food – Probably the biggest point to take home on holiday feasts: it’s about the company, not the turkey gravy. Share, love, talk and take notice of all the food you consume while standing near the snack table. That carrot dip can be dangerous. Whether you’re sitting at the table or not, every item you eat will add up in your stomach so try having conversations away from snack items and, yes, focus on the people around you – they probably care about you should give them your full attention this holiday season.
To learn more about weight management and medical weight loss, call the Southern California Center For Anti Aging today!
