Food and Activity During the Holidays

Let the Race Begin! For some folks, Thanksgiving Day is the starting line for a 10-week eating and drinking marathon with participants filling up at every turn. A 3,000 calorie dinner begins the race, followed by holiday baking, office treats, cocktail parties and open houses, banquets, rich desserts, a New Year’s Eve Bash, and the Super Bowl at the finish line.

Eating During the Holidays Going the distance in over-indulgence leads to the prize of a gorged belly, fuzzy head and weight gain. Holiday eating is not wrong, or even bad, and should be enjoyed. Holiday food is special and symbolic, and it reminds of us of good times with family and friends.

Guilt Trip Eating The lighter approach to holiday eating means striving for balance and letting go of guilty thoughts. Feeling guilty over eating the candy, pie, cookies, gravy, or big holiday dinners feeds the “what the heck” mentality. “I already blew my diet with that pie. I might as well eat more. My diet can wait until January.”

Solution? The Rules to Holiday Eating

Rule #1: Do Not Go Hungry Do not arrive to parties and events hungry. Eat something before you arrive. Snack on something nutritious, high in protein or fiber, low-fat, and low in calories. BUT…don’t forget you ate it - pay attention to your hunger signals!

Rule #2: Go Last in Line Be the last person to go through the buffet line. By the time you finish your first serving, most everyone is finished eating their second, third, or even fourth serving.

Rule #3: Do Not Stand Next to the Food Standing around the buffet table or by the bowl of snacks creates an almost irresistible temptation to graze. Save yourself some calories by taking a few steps back.

Rule #4: Eat, but Do Not Overeat It is unrealistic to expect that you will be able to cut out all fattening holiday eating. So, don’t deny yourself the treats you love. Instead, be selective about the special treats you have, and enjoy them—just watch how much you are putting on your plate. SAVOR THE FLAVOR of small portions.

Rule #5: Use a Small Plate If the plate and cup are small, the servings will also have to be small. This is a good way to control your calorie consumption! Or use picnic plates with dividers.

Rule #6: Eat Natural Whenever you can, choose foods that are as close to how nature made them as possible. Remember, one of the keys to a successful weight management program is to avoid processed foods. Fill up on fresh produce, whole grain breads, and lean meat.

Rule #7: Think Before You Eat One of the biggest traps of holiday eating is the abundance of food that is available. Think about what you are eating before you actually eat it. Listen to your body’s hunger signals.

Rule #8: Exercise Before Eating Strive for 30 minutes of exercise before attending a holiday gathering. Exercise helps: suppress appetite burn extra calories increase self-esteem and motivation

Rule #9: Exercise After Eating Even a short walk after a big meal can: prevent you from eating more help you burn extra calories allow you to enjoy time with family and friends

Your Holiday Workout

Exercise with the Family Instead of driving to a holiday light display, walk down the street of your own neighborhood. Try ice-skating, sledding, or skiing. Stay warm inside. Play active indoor games, like Twister. Go to events that keep you moving around.

Home Workout Try an aerobics video to pack muscle conditioning, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training into 30-45 minutes. Be an active couch potato by performing abdominal crunches or stretches during commercial breaks. Dust off that old treadmill or bike for a 30 minute bout of exercise.

Other Calorie Burners Park farther away from the stores, and walk briskly while shopping. Walk up the escalator or stairs and avoid the elevators. Take a five-minute brisk walk as a break during your workday. Make multiple trips when moving bags from the car to the house or upstairs. Help decorate! Clean your home as quickly as possible!

Too Cold? Turn on the radio and dance the day or night away. Tumble in a large room. Play volleyball using a balloon. Play Twister. Set up a scavenger hunt. Throw a balled up sock in the air and do not allow it to hit the floor.

Increase Intensity So you can’t fit in your normal 60-minute workout. Try 20 minutes of exercise at a higher intensity. Run/walk intervals, use inclines or higher resistance.

Reprioritize Your Goals Don’t stress about your health goals. Work to maintain your weight and current health status over the holidays. Enjoy time with your family!