It is reported that the average American experiences a
7-pound weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year's,
then spends the next several weeks trying to lose as
much of the excess as possible. Unfortunately, many
people are unsuccessful in their weight reduction
efforts, and wish that they had not added the holiday
weight in the first place. Most would agree that it is
better to prevent unwanted weight gain than to remedy
the situation later.
But just how can we approach the festivities and
abundant food supplies so prevalent throughout November
and December to avoid overeating? I have a few
suggestions in that regard, and I also recommend an
exercise emphasis during this critical time of year. In
reality, regular exercise is more necessary during the
less active winter season than during the more active
warm-weather months.
Twelve Strategies For Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
1. The first suggestion, which should be followed
year round, is to drink water frequently throughout the
day. Our bodies consist mostly of water, and it is
unquestionably our most essential nutrient. Drinking
cold water serves as a mild appetite suppressant and
burns calories to warm it up to body temperature. I have
made it a habit to take a drink every time I pass a
water fountain. If water dispensers are not available,
try keeping an insulated plastic water bottle nearby and
drinking from it at regular intervals.
2. The second suggestion is to eat low-calorie
fruit and vegetable snacks rather than high-calorie
foods such as donuts, muffins, pastries, sandwiches, or
various fast-food or vending machine selections.
Although apples, oranges, pears, carrot sticks, celery
sticks, pepper slices, and cherry tomatoes may not be
your first choice, they can be highly satisfying and
prevent the calorie overload that might otherwise occur
with normal snacks and large holiday meals.
3. The third strategy is to eat high fiber foods,
such as prunes, to aid gastrointestinal transit
processes. These and other dried fruit, such as figs,
dates, apricots, and raisins, are ideal for satisfying
the sweet tooth and have an extremely low fat content.
Abundant around the holidays, dried fruit presents an
excellent alternative to less healthy and more fattening
foods such as cookies, cakes, pies, pastries and candy.
4. The fourth strategy is to eat less for lunch
on days that you have dinner events. While you don't
want to reach the buffet table semi-starved, it makes
sense to eat somewhat less for your noon meal when you
are likely to eat somewhat more for your evening meal.
5. The fifth recommendation is to make wise
decisions in your food selections, especially at
banquets and parties. Don't be afraid to be different.
Choose less fattening entrees, such as broiled fish or
baked chicken. Select healthier soups and salads, and
consider light salad dressings. Use butter and cheese
sparingly, and request your meals without gravies or
rich sauces.
6. The sixth recommendation is to say no to
dessert sampling. Many holiday dinners and parties come
with a variety of delicious desserts, and you may be
tempted to sample several of them, even if just to
please the people who made them. Be polite but adamant.
Simply say that all of the desserts look superb, but you
have vowed to eat just one dessert per day to avoid too
much of a good thing and resultant weight gain. Most of
your friends will understand and many may even follow
your wise example.
7. The seventh suggestion is to exit food-laden
events at a reasonable hour. In addition to sleep
deprivation that runs rampant during the busy holiday
season, staying longer at parties usually leads to
greater food consumption and unnecessary calories.
Participate fully in the festivities, but be one of the
first to call it a night for your health's sake.
8. The eighth suggestion is to avoid or at least
limit alcohol consumption. With all the other
high-calorie foods typically eaten during holiday
gatherings, alcoholic beverages can only make matters
worse. Keep in mind that alcohol contains almost as many
calories per gram as fat, so the fewer alcoholic drinks
the better from a weight gain perspective.
9. The ninth strategy is to do some daily aerobic
activity to condition your cardiovascular system and to
burn extra calories. For example, a 30-minute walk
requires about 200 to 250 calories depending on your
bodyweight and walking pace.
10. The tenth strategy is to do 2 or 3 sessions
of strength exercise each week to condition your
muscular system and to burn more calories. Although 30
minutes of strength training also requires about 200 to
250 calories, the greater benefit is an accelerated
metabolism all day long. In a Tufts University study, a
season of strength training produced a 7 percent
increase in resting metabolic rate and a 15 percent
increase in daily calorie requirements among the senior
men and women who participated.
11. The eleventh recommendation is to find a
family member, friend, or co-worker who will agree to
help you implement your holiday program for avoiding
weight gain. Your partner in prevention should be
someone who not only talks the talk, but also walks the
walk. Ideally, this individual should be both an
encourager and an example with respect to holiday eating
and exercise behavior.
12. The twelfth recommendation for holiday
survival is related to human survival. While it is
tempting to say that the holidays come only once a year,
and to rationalize that you can lose the extra weight
through your New Year's resolutions, the reality is a
more serious health problem. Most people don't lose all
the extra holiday weight, which is one reason 75 percent
of all Americans are overweight and almost 35 percent
are obese. Because overweight individuals are more
susceptible to many physical problems, including low
back pain, heart disease, diabetes, and some types of
cancer, we should take preventive measures during the
holiday season. But even for those who can lose the
added weight, it may be more difficult to reduce
undesirable cholesterol levels or arterial plaque
deposition resulting from several weeks of eating
high-fat foods. So take a sensible approach to eating
and exercising during the holiday period. Be serious
about good health habits throughout the year, and try to
make the next few weeks an unusually good experience
from a fitness perspective.
Wayne
L. Westcott, Ph.D.
is fitness director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy,
Massachusetts, and strength training consultant for
IDEA, the American Council on Exercise, the
International Fitness Institute, and the YMCA of the
USA. Dr. Westcott is the author of the college textbook
Strength Fitness, and the professional textbook Be
Strong.
More
Books from Dr. Westcott
CEC:
Current Strength Training Research
by Dr. Westcott
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