Holiday Weight Control

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can be a struggle,
especially during the holidays. Healthy diet information is
particularly useful at this time of year.

If you believe the old stories about much weight people put on
during the holidays, you’re right–partially. In a recent study
conducted by The National Institute of Health, the researchers
discovered that, in reality, most people tend to only put on
just slightly under one pound. But a person who is already
overweight will average a whopping five pounds extra after the
last horns have been blown.

But it’s not all good news for even those who put on the minimum
because the study also shows that we all tend to keep the pounds
put on. In other words, over ten years, those not-so-much
pounds, could lead someone to being overweight.

So, what can we do in order to keep those extra pounds off?
After all, our homes are usually filled with holiday pies, cakes
and other goodies, and they can be pretty tempting–even for the
most faithful of dieters!

Here’s a few tips to get you through the holidays.

Just A Nibble!

Have you ever noticed that when you start eating a rich dessert
it tastes so good, but by the last bite, you’ve had enough? One
way to keep the pounds down is just to enjoy a few bites that
delicious cheesecake or chocolate fudge brownie. No one says
that you have to completely deprive yourself of holiday
treats–just limit how much you eat!

Enjoy the Company, Not The Brownies!

Many people think of holiday parties in terms of the foods that
they’ll get to eat (or have to avoid) instead of the real reason
for the celebration–the company and conversation. If you keep
yourself busy chatting with friends, you’ll be less likely to
invade the snack table.

Go Full

You’ve likely heard the grocery store trick; don’t go shopping
when you’re hungry because you’ll only end up buying more. Well,
the same can work for holiday parties! Eat a lot of raw
vegetables, and other healthy foods that will stick with you
during the party and you’ll be less tempted to binge on the bad
stuff.

Drink Water

If you were to add up the calories that you’ve probably consumed
in sodas, fruit punches and alcoholic beverages at parties, you
would likely be amazed. You can gulp down hundreds of calories
without even realizing it if you’re not careful! Instead of one
of these high-calorie drinks, make it a habit to drink
water–which in itself will help flush out extra water weight.

Create An Eating Schedule

It wouldn’t be fun–or realistic–to try and get through an
entire party without at least sampling some of the treats. But
instead of heading instantly to the food table and loading your
plate–and then suffering the rest of the party because you want
more–try spacing out your snacks for the entire time of the
party. Plan on taking a nibble of something about every thirty
minutes. Not only will it help you eat less, it will be a fun
game that you can play with yourself!

Most importantly, remember that the holidays are meant for
enjoyment. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and if you make a
mistake, talk an extra long walk to work off those extra
calories instead of beating yourself up over it!

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