Want to make healthy holidays a reality?
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010Trying to maintain your weight during the holidays is no easy task. With these helpful tips you can get through the holidays and not have to worry about any upcoming wedding plans.
Source: Gaston Gazette
The holidays should be a joyous time of celebration with family and friends, not a time when putting on an extra 10 pounds is expected.
But with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner, trying to make sure you don’t gain a lot of extra weight can seem like an impossible task.
“That doesn’t have to be the case,” said Lisa Marisiddaiah of the Gastonia Parish Nurse Ministry, which serves First United Methodist and First Presbyterian churches in Gastonia. “Keeping the excess pounds off around the holidays just requires careful planning.”
“We all tend to overindulge at the holidays,” said Marisiddaiah. “Most people don’t lose weight so this is a way to help folks maintain and keep things in check.”
It’s easy to become a little lax about your diet and exercise routine around the holidays, with family visits, office parties, vacations and gifts to buy. Still, foregoing some of those extra holiday calories doesn’t have to be hard.
Here are some tips on how to maintain through the holidays.
Eat Smart
Don’t skip meals. Trying to “bank” calories actually slows down the metabolic rate, which means you’ll store more of the calories you consume at a big holiday meal. Worse, skipping meals could lead you to eat more than you should when you do eat. If you’re having a big lunch, balance it with a lighter, healthier breakfast and dinner.
Have a healthy snack before you go. If you’re heading to a holiday party or gathering, have a healthy snack like fruit or vegetables before you walk out the door. Going hungry may cause you to make bad food choices.
Don’t drink alcohol in excess. Alcoholic drinks are simply extra, empty calories. If you are going to have a drink, eat a healthy snack first and have a glass of water for each alcoholic beverage you consume.
Move More
Find different ways to increase your movement. You can take the stairs at work instead of the elevator or park in the farthest spot at the grocery store. Go outside and play football instead of watching it on TV after your Thanksgiving meal.
Fit in exercise whenever you can. Every little bit helps. If you’re pressed for time, opt for a 30 minute workout instead of an hour-long one. And if you don’t think you’ll have time to run after work, try going for a short walk during your lunch break.
Make time for those everyday activities. Even if you have to ease up on your weekly workouts, you can still burn calories by doing household chores. The average person who weighs 150 pounds can burn 147 calories just by spending 30 minutes raking leaves. Don’t forget vacuuming (119 calories per 30 minutes) and cleaning the house (102 calories). Multi-tasking works for fitness, too!
Maintain – Don’t Gain
Remember portion control. A good rule of thumb when you’re eating is that a serving size is no larger than the palm of your hand. Keep that in mind when you get the urge to continue piling food on your plate – or go back for seconds. You don’t have to deprive yourself, but instead of eating half of your Aunt Sonda’s lemon-pecan pie, choose to have a sensible slice.
Drink plenty of water. Not only does it keep your body flushed and hydrated, but it also helps fill your stomach, which can help you from overeating.
Put a healthy spin on holiday favorites. When cooking, try using nonfat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk. Go for low-fat cheese and swap one egg with two egg whites. You can also mix in low-fat sour cream or light mayonnaise into dips instead of higher fats counterparts.
Source: Gaston Gazette
