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1. Focus on weight
maintenance. Face the facts, ff you are currently overweight and want to lose
weight this is not the time you are going to do it. Keeping a stable weight
will be a big enough challenge so don’t set yourself up for failure by
making unrealistic goals.
2. Be physically active every day. Try and stay committed to
a daily appointment of at least half an hour of physical activity every day.
Exercise, especially aerobic activities (like brisk walking, jogging, bicycling,
roller blading, and swimming) can help relieve stress, regulate appetite, and
burn up extra calories from holiday eating.
3. Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties so that
you don’t turn up famished. This will reduce the temptation to overeat
and the temptation of eating the higher fat and higher calorie foods. Try a
bit of fruit or yogurt as a snack.
4. Plan ahead – Think about the foods that you plan to
eat as a special treat, and the foods that you will try to moderate on. Filling
up with healthy food before having the treats you really want is one way to
avoid overeating. If you have a plan of action it’s much easier to deal
with a difficult social eating situation.
5. Take steps to avoid recreational eating. Consciously make
one plate of the foods you really want. Eat it slowly--enjoying and savoring
every tasty bite. Then, when you’re done, pop a mint or stick of gum in
your mouth, get a tall glass of water and sip on it throughout the night, or
position yourself away from the buffet table or food trays to keep yourself
from overeating.
6. Reduce the fat in holiday recipes. There are plenty of low
fat and low calorie substitutes that are amazingly tasty. Magazines are full
of reduced calorie and reduced fat holiday recipes.
7. Choose your beverages wisely. Alcohol is high in calories
not to mention damaging to your body in large quantities. Try limit your intake
to 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per occasion.
8. Remember it’s
not just about food! Enjoy good friends and family. Although food can be a big
part of the season, it doesn’t have to be the focus. Holidays are a time
to reunite with good friends and family, to share laughter and cheer, to celebrate
and to give thanks. Focus more on these other holiday pleasures, in addition
to the tastes of holiday foods.
9. Don’t get too hard on yourself: Overeating one day
won't make or break your eating plan. It takes days and days of overeating to
gain significant weight, so don’t let the odd slip up cause to much guilt
or despair.
