With the holiday season approaching, temptations of delicious holiday foods are all around us with holiday parties and family gatherings. Most people easily gain at least five pounds over the holidays. Many fitness professionals have different opinions about what to eat, how much to eat, and portion control during the holidays to avoid that holiday weight gain. Some common strategies include altering recipes to “healthier versions” of holiday delights, like low fat cookies or fat-free gravy, while others may suggest complete abstinence. But in my opinion, during the holidays the word “diet” does not exist. For the most part, I take off my food police uniform and let my clients jaywalk while keeping in mind a few of the following useful strategies.

Allow yourself to eat. If we think we cannot eat something, we are likely going to want it even more. If we can have it when we want it, it loses some of its appeal. The threat of abstinence can trigger “last chance eating”. You know exactly what I am talking about; the little voice that says, “This is your last chance to eat this treat. You’d better chow down now because you are going back on your standard (boring) diet.” Clearly, these thoughts contribute to overeating. There is nothing wrong with having pie, but remember there is a portion to consider for any food. And by portion control I do not mean minimizing the time you eat, but rather trying not to pile food on your plate where it ends up weighing as much as you do. My suggestion would be to eat whatever you are hungry for until you satisfy your hunger.

Eat mindfully. Stay in touch with how the food tastes and how you feel as you eat it. This way, you will be better at identifying when you are full. I would suggest that you eat your protein first, vegetables second and complex carbohydrates last. This strategy helps prevent you from overeating because of the way complex carbohydrates fill you up quicker and the way they expand in the diaphragm. Also try to consume water to maintain hydration.

Eat regularly. Even through the holidays eat regular, balanced meals. It is common sense that if you skimp at breakfast and lunch to save up calories for an evening party you set the stage to overeat. When people get too hungry, they care less about what and how much they eat. They end up eating too much in an attempt to satisfy their overwhelming hunger. To avoid this overindulgence eat an appropriate breakfast and lunch-even an afternoon snack. You will be able to eat with portion control (one roll, not four; one dessert, not two) and enjoy freedom from fighting the urge to overeat.

Exercise regularly. Your body is meant to be active. Without regular exercise, your body does not work quite as well, even in how it ‘talks’ to you about the foods it wants. Try to exercise regularly throughout the holiday season, which will also help you manage any holiday stress. However, do not punish yourself through exercise for what you eat over the holidays to the point of injury or exhaustion. People tend to gain excess body fat with repeated days of overeating, not just one spree. Keep in mind if you get on the scale the morning after a spree, you may weigh two to four pounds more. When you “carbload” your muscles, for every ounce of glycogen your body stores about three ounces of water. A postholiday workout will help you lose this water weight.

“People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.” In other words it all comes to being able to enjoy fellowship with loved ones and not worry so much about your weight during the holidays. Please feel free to contact me at 859-221-4479 or supernat_us@yahoo.com if I can be of any assistance to help you stay focused and striving forward through the holidays. But most of all, I sincerely hope your holidays will be plentiful.

Yours in Health,

Willie B. Ray