Holiday weight gain is not inevitable.
The average American gains seven to ten pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years’ Day. Winter is coming. For many, this means decreased outdoor activities. Some believe the cold weather hinders metabolism. With all this working against the battle against the bulge, what is one to do?
Losing weight is difficult enough on its own without the added hindrances the season brings. However, there is hope! People are not doomed to a life of obesity. People can avoid holiday weight gain. It can be solved with a few weight loss tips.
- Curb alcohol consumption. Alcohol sales skyrocket over the holiday season. People enjoy drinking to enjoy (or cope with) family activities. Don’t get drunk! Alcohol contains seven calories per gram. Not only does alcohol contain calories, it also leads to poor nutritional choices. If a person drinks, eats and then goes to sleep, say goodbye to weight control and hello to weight gain.
- Stop eating when full. This sounds obvious, but everyone has kept eating that turkey, or mashed potatoes, or ham way after the stomach says it is full. If seconds are absolutely necessary, wait a couple hours between plates. This gives the digestive system time to digest and get rid of excess calories.
- Deal with hunger. Fruits, vegetables and water are not filling. When people are trying to control their weight, they eat produce and breakfast. Yes, this will cause an increase in hunger. Deal with it! It is easy to go to the fridge and grab leftovers – don’t do it unless it is mealtime.
- Use a smaller plate. Studies have shown that people eat more simply because more is on their plate. If smaller plate is used, the difference in hunger is minimal. This works with smaller bowls for soups, and plates for dinners, appetizers and even deserts.
- Curb emotional eating. For many, the holidays are an extremely emotional time. Many use food as a coping source for depression. Keep in mind how counter-productive this is. People feel sad, so they eat, and then feel guilty for eating and end up even more depressed than they were before. There are no easy cures for this. People have to try enjoy everything they do. Instead of thinking about sadness, think of activities to alleviate the sadness that don’t involve food. It is the holiday season – enjoy yourself! Think good thoughts!
Weight control is tremendously difficult over the holiday season. If it weren’t, the average American wouldn’t gain seven to ten pounds through this time; but they do. Curbing alcohol consumption, stopping eating when full, dealing with hunger, using smaller plates and avoiding emotional eating will go a long weight in the battle against the bulge.
Don’t view holiday weight gain as inevitability. View it as a choice that can be controlled.
