E AT S M A RT !
Eight Surefire Ways ...
... To Gain Weight During the Holidays
1 . Participate in the Holidays .
You might have walked around the block with your kids Trick or Treating , but unfortunately , that doesn ' t give you a pass to eat endless candies before / during / after the walk ! It would be difficult to exercise off the ' extras ' we eat during the holidays . For example , it takes 30 minutes of walking for the average women to burn off the calories in just one Reese ' s Peanut Butter Cup . 30 minutes for just ONE piece of candy !
Also , do you attend every party you ' re invited to ? If yes , then you cannot see it as an invitation to gorge yourself . From Halloween to New Year ' s Eve every weekend can have something ' special .' If you view it that way and eat with lowered inhibitions , you may be finding yourself shopping for a size larger in clothes come January 1st .
2 . Get Off Your Routine . by Rachel Ezelius , RD
3 . Eat Traditional Holiday Foods .
It is inevitable that at some point you will find yourself sitting around a holiday table . Where you sit , however , is very important . This is a social gathering , and you eat for a longer time than an everyday , average meal . Therefore , positioning yourself in front of the big bowl of salad and not in front of Aunt Bessie ' s world-renowned sausage stuffing is strategic . The longer we sit , the longer we pick , and it is much less damaging picking on peppers than scoops of stuffing .
4 . Take the Leftovers .
Taking the leftovers is mostly a terrible idea . Often it extends what should be one ' bad ' day to one ' bad ' week as we relive all of the holiday ' s yumminess several days in a row . When the refrigerator is stuffed with high calorie , high-fat foods , there is no room for the lean proteins and vegetables we should be eating . The leftovers in the frig also distract us from our normal food shopping and preparation routines , because the less healthy leftover options are readily available and tempting , even if you want to eat better .
6 . Eat Food Served on a Toothpick ( or in a shot glass .)
After a 4-course meal when getting up from the table , you feel full and can appreciate the fact that eating should be over . You don ' t have the same feelings however , with a bunch of ' picks ' and ' bites .' It almost feels like you haven ' t eaten anything and yet very easily you could have eaten all of your allotted calories for the day ! This is a good time to mention alcohol as well . Although it is not technically food , drinkable calories are dangerous and quickly add up and lower your ability to make good food choices . So make your meals matter . Keep them complete with filling lean proteins , large portions of vegetables , and smaller portions of foods high in fat and calories .
7 . Bake Something .
You bake “ just for others ,” right ? If you bake the same way you Christmas shop “ just for others ,” then we are in trouble ! Baking goodies needs to be well thought out and planned . Without a plan , you will overbake and have access to highsugar , high-fat desserts all holiday season . If you must bake , bake only the amount you need and pack it up and get it out of the house quickly . Don ' t store baked goods within arm ' s length . Pack it out of sight so it can be out of mind .
8 . Skip Exercise .
Between family obligations , last-minute shopping , and parties , your workouts often get neglected . Skipping exercise gets you off your routine and almost gives you permission to be more lax with eating your healthy foods and balanced meals . So challenge yourself to go to the gym 5x a week and stay committed by getting your buddy to do it with you .
With all the holiday busy-ness it is easy to neglect basic routines . Keeping your food and exercise routine is key for warding off unwanted pounds . Perhaps you are going out more and sleeping less . Consequently , you are tired , and too exhausted for exercise , food shopping , and food cooking . You find yourself exercising less ( more on that later ) and bringing in high-calorie take-out or just eating fewer veggies and convenient foods more often .
10
5 . Dress in Comfy Clothes .
Drawstring and loose fitting pants should not be in the rotation during the holiday season . Tighter clothes keep you on track . It is hard to overeat when you are already trying to suck in your tummy . Take the time to dress for success it can make a big difference . It is amazing how quickly the pounds can pack on when you pay a little less attention to the food .
Holidays 2016 FIT to Print
Rachel Ezelius is a Registered Dietitian who manages Fitness Incentive ’ s Eat Smart program . Questions ? Contact her by email : eatsmart @ fitnessincentive . com