The
average North American gains just under a pound of weight over
the holiday season. For most people, that's one pound too darn
many. But it's hard to avoid indulgence over the holidays -- oftentimes,
it's the only time we get to see old friends and family members.
And good food and drink goes hand-in-hand with celebrating, right?
So
what can you do to reduce the waist-widening effects of a prolonged
holiday season?
That's
a good question. I've put together a list of steps you can take
to implement damage control...
1)
Eat sensibly *before* you go to those inevitable Christmas parties.
You'll be much less likely to be tempted by goodies if you're
already full.
2)
When heading off to parties, volunteer to be the designated driver.
Alcohol provides tons of extra "empty" calories that
you'd be best to avoid.
3)
Whenever you encounter plates of food buffet-style, snack on fresh
raw veggies and lean protein, and avoid sweets and high calorie
concoctions. When possible, do not stay in close proximity of
food... you'll only be tempted.
4)
Choose water as a beverage whenever possible. Avoid the empty
calories of alcohol, pop, punch, and other fruit juices.
5)
Eat slowly, and if socially acceptable, chat often. It takes up
to 20 minutes for the brain to get the "I'm full!" message.
If you eat slowly, and chat longer you'll be full sooner.
6)
At meals, fill up on low calorie appetizers if possible -- like
salads (use a low calorie dressing), raw vegetables and some soups.
7)
Take the time to exercise. The holiday season is an extremely
busy time for most of us, and often exercise goes by the wayside.
However, you must prioritize exercise into a "non-elective"
activity. If you can increase your caloric requirements on a day-to-day
basis, you'll reduce the damage of increasing your caloric intake
over this time period.
8)
Balance meals away from high-glycemic carbohydrates. For example...
at the typical holiday meal you'd want to eat more turkey and
leafy vegetables, and less stuffing, buns, and potatoes.
9)
Don't forget to eat plenty of small meals often. Don't "save
up" so you can feast at a special occasion.
10)
Take 200 mcg of chromium
before meals. Chromium
is a low cost supplement that helps regulate insulin function,
and keep blood sugar levels under control.
11)
Reduce carbohydrate consumption for a couple of days prior to
any significant holiday meal.
Why?
Anytime
you eat, the food you consume is broken down and released into
the body for use as energy. When your caloric intake exceeds your
caloric requirements you gain weight right?
Most
of the time. But the body first checks to see if its available
storage spots are full before it deposits those extra calories
onto your waist line. Those storage spots are the liver and muscle
cells. The body will make sure these are packed full of glycogen
(derived from glucose, the end result of carbohydrate metabolism),
before it lays down more fat.
By
reducing carb intake significantly for a few days, you can reduce
the amount of glycogen stored in the body. So extra calories consumed
on those special days will be much less likely to make it to your
waist.
12)
If you're the strong-willed type, decline dessert on the grounds
that you're "too full". If you've got to sample the
goodies, have a tiny portion.
Phew!
That ought to get you started. Remember... successful dieting
is as much about balance as it is about willpower. It makes no
sense to deprive yourself completely. It makes more sense to take
a few small steps -- steps that will limit the damage you'll do
to your weight loss progress, while at the same time making you
feel like you haven't missed out.
Good
luck, and happy holidays!
