How to combat Holiday weight gain

-->

I’m sure most of you can attest that you spend most of the year trying to get your weight under control and then, Boom! The Holidays are here and food is absolutely everywhere. No matter where you go or what you do it seems as if the Thanksgiving-to-New Year’s holiday season is one long, tempting food fest designed to make you gain weight.

So I’m here to help everyone make it through the Holidays without becoming one of the Holiday weight gain statistics.

• Did you know research shows we typically gain an average of 5-10 pounds of unwanted weight over the holidays?

• Another study from the New England Journal of Medicine found that most of us end up holding on to at least 1 or 2 of those pounds every holiday season. In addition it shows few people ever lose the weight they put on over the holidays. They simply add to it every year. 

So imagine going through the holidays each year and adding 1 to 2 if not more   pounds of fat. Every 10 years you would be at least 10 to 20 lbs heavier.  Not an ideal or healthy situation!

So from the 'food pushers' to parties that will tempt your senses, here are some tips to overcome holiday diet temptations and help you avoid gaining those unwanted pounds.

1. Never arrive to your holiday dinner or parties hungry!

•  At Nuviva we recommend the clients pre-eat something small prior to going to an event, dinner or party. The reason for this from the time you begin eating it takes the brain about 20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in. The amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary significantly depending on how quickly you eat. Pre-eating will allow you to not feel full when you arrive giving you the will power to make smarter food choices which will result in not over consuming calories.

•   Try and eat small, high protein snacks as they will do best for hunger control.

2.     Load up on Leaner meats like turkey and chicken for snacks and meal.

•   They are a great source of protein.

1.     Protein is great for maintaining and building lean muscle.

2.     Protein is slower digesting than Carbohydrates and Fats.

·      About 20-30% of the calories consumed from Protein sources are expended on digesting the protein.

·      Only 5-10% of the calories consumed from Carbohydrate sources are expended on digesting the carbohydrate.

·      Only 3-5% of the calories consumed from Fat sources are expended on digesting the fat.

•   Try to select the white meat and remove the skin.

•   Protein will keep you feeling full longer.

3. Eat Veggies

•   Raw veggies are low in calories and full of fiber, which will help with hunger.

•   Try and avoid creamy dips, sauces or dressings as they are packed with calories.

4. Drink water

•   Water can help you feel full as well as keep you away from sugary ciders, egg nog or hot chocolate that are loaded with sugar and calories.

•   If you are going to drink alcohol, make one or two glasses of wine your maximum.  A good tip we teach our Nuviva clients is to drink one glass of water for every one alcoholic beverage. It will help you curb your drinking, stay away from empty calories and keep you from any drunken table-dancing or spontaneous karaoke at the office party.

5. Minimize stress

•   As we all know the Holidays can be a stressful time for some of us. Stress from work, family or the economy can help in packing on those unwanted pounds.

•   Stress doesn’t simply cause you to overeat, but it also causes you to store more fat. Cortisol and epinephrine are released during periods of stress, both of which encourage the storage of fat, especially around the mid-section. These hormones are meant for short-term release, but constant stress causes excessive cortisol release which can result in weight gain.

•   Enjoy your time with family and friends. Any time you take to relax and unwind has a positive impact on your stress levels. Listen to your favorite music or play and instrument, read for pleasure and focus on the things in life that bring you happiness.

•   Avoid emotional eating – people generally eat high caloric food during times of stress. Instead of reaching for your favorite comfort food, use some of these tips to minimize your stress this holiday season, and you’ll really be treating yourself.

6. Stay Active

•   Exercise can counter holiday weight gain in more than one way. It’s true that staying active will help you burn off those extra calories, but it can also reduce your stress levels. Exercise like yoga, which promote deep breathing and mindfulness, can be especially helpful in counteracting holiday stress eating. So continue your fitness routine as much as possible

•   If you are traveling find simple ways to incorporate daily exercise like mall walking or playing at the beach if staying in Florida or in the snow/sledding with your kids if traveling up North where there is snow.

Let’s face it holiday weight gain has become an accepted societal norm. The terms “Santa Belly,” “Festively Plump,” and “Food Coma” are freely thrown around during the holidays. It’s a proven fact that if all your friends accept something as normal, it’s probably not going to bother you. For this reason, it’s easy to become less guilty about overindulging, or combining gluttony with laziness during the holidays. 

But wouldn’t it be much better if you could arrive at January 1 prepared for a New Year’s resolution other than “weight loss”? Then you could set a goal of making more money, spending extra time with family or taking up a new hobby. So this season, consider not succumbing to peer pressure and acceptance of holiday weight gain. Your body will thank you when the New Year rolls around.

I know I just gave a ton of information in a very short period of time. So if you feel the information provided was overwhelming or difficult to understand and think you may need additional assistance with weight management now or in the future we at Nuviva would love to help!

Hope you all have a Happy Holidays!

www.nuvivaweightloss.com/altamonteweightloss/