HEALTH MATTERS
How To Overcome Weight Gain This Festive Season !!
By Kepha Nyanumba
Christmas is one of the most anticipated holidays all over the world . At its core , Christmas is an annual religious festivity among Christians , commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ . However , throughout the years the holiday has become a worldwide cultural celebration that is associated with the act of giving . It is the time to share gifts with our family , friends , and loved ones . The act of generosity is also shown through the sumptuous and mouthwatering food stuffs offered to everyone ’ s delight .
It is common for people to celebrate together during Christmas and more often than not , the feast is the most awaited part of the get-togethers . This , however , can cause many people to gain weight over the holidays , and it is especially true for people who are suffering from obesity . The biggest struggle that we face is to resist strong temptations from eating fatty yet scrumptious foods that are often rich in calorie content .
Nutrition Mistakes during Christmas
To be more cautious on how you can celebrate this holiday season responsibly , it is good for you to know some of the mistakes we make during Christmas .
Large Portions
It is not surprising to see people eating large portions of various foods during Christmas holiday . Many people usually serve an abundance of food choices to make sure that everyone has a full stomach . The amount of food served during this time is twice or even thrice more than your normal food serving . For people who are trying to avoid weight gain during Christmas , this is a hard hurdle to overcome . The image of a full table of delicious food offerings , most of which only come during Christmas , can be tempting for most people . Because you see large portions of food , it programs your brain to think that it ’ s fine to eat as much as you want .
Unhealthy Christmas Foods
Apart from the more than usual portion of foods , the types of food often served during the holiday season can lead to excessive weight gain . The foods consumed during Christmas contain excess calories because they are heavily laden with salt , sugar , and saturated fats .
“
In order to make exercise a sustainable part of your routine , you need to make a mental commitment that you ’ re going to exercise on a regular basis . Without a mental commitment , it can be hard to drum up the motivation to work out on a regular basis . You need great discipline .
The high sodium content increases the risk of hypertension while excess sugar and saturated fats increase the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease .
Overflowing Drinks
Aside from what you eat , what you drink may also result in holiday weight gain . Apart from sweet drinks , alcohol makes its presence among Christmas holiday celebrations . Compared to red wine , beer is rather high in calories , especially when it is consumed more than the regular amount . Drinking beer with bigger food portions and sugary beverages causes drastic weight gain .
Holiday Inactivity
In addition to consumption of unhealthy foods , being inactive during holiday season contributes to weight gain . While you are consuming more food than normal , you are not burning the calories due to the sedentary lifestyle .
How to Avoid Weight Gain during Holiday
It ’ s important to be more cautious to avoid becoming a victim of the Christmas weight gain . How do you prepare yourself for the mental battle you will be facing ? Here are some strategies :
Use a smaller plate
Even though there ’ s an abundance of food laid out for your consumption , using a smaller plate helps control the portions you are getting . It tricks the mind that you are eating a lot because your plate is already filled to the brim with food .
66 MAL51 / 22 ISSUE