Holly, Jolly & Healthy

A round belly that shakes like jelly may be desirable for Old Saint Nick, but not the rest of us. Did you know that holiday weight gain may be slow and subtle, but it can take up to 5 months in the new year to lose those pounds? Any gain retained can contribute to “creeping obesity” that gradually accumulates over the years. Start making changes now to your normal festive food routines to avoid an extra “gift” in your midsection after the holidays. Here are our top tips to stay slim and trim this month:

Gifts to groups

• Be a role model – Don’t bring edible goodies to share, unless it’s fresh fruit or individually-wrapped mints.

Candy bowls

• Limit yourself to 1 piece for each hour since your last meal.
• Keep a pile of your wrappers in plain view as a visual reminder of how much you’ve eaten. You’ll be less likely to indulge again with the evidence in front of you.

Bakery trays

• See a donut or brownie you want? Leave the room for at least an hour and tell yourself you can have half of that particular one the next time you pass by. Chances are it may not still be there!

Drinks

• Dilute sugary fruit beverages with sparkling water.
• Split deluxe coffee drinks in half and fill with plain coffee.
• Alternate an alcoholic beverage with water or a virgin drink.

Celebration meals

• Use an Air Fryer for those traditionally decadent fried foods like latkes.
• Limit yourself to 2 starches of any kind. (Ex: a roll + scoop mashed potatoes; or a corn cob + scoop noodles)
• Do most of the cooking from scratch. You have more control over the ingredients, plus you burn calories working in the kitchen!

Buffets

• Make just one trip through a buffet, taking only a single entrée, side and vegetable.
• Keep portion sizes small and choose items that have been baked, steamed or grilled.

Other    

• Focus on conversation and the festivities by playing games, dancing or taking a walk instead of eating mindlessly.

Good intentions only go so far. Write out your action plan to stay on track and keep your waistline trim. What are your ways for preventing holiday weight gain? Share them in the comment section below!

Reference:

Weight Gain over the Holidays in Three Countries. Helander EE, Wansink B, Chieh A.  The New England Journal of Medicine 2016 Sep 22; 375(12): 1200-1202.