As the holidays approach, a frequent question
from my clients and subscribers is "How can I
avoid gaining weight during the holidays"?
Their concern is legitimate. The average
American adult gains seven pounds of fat
between Thanksgiving and New Years Day. However, with a little know-how and effort you
don't have to be "average". In fact, I've seen
many people actually lose a few pounds over the
holidays and feel great while doing it. One of my clients said it best, "Greg, I can't
tell you how good it feels to have lost three
pounds during the holidays instead of gaining
ten pounds as I used to do. My friends are
jealous. It's January 2nd and I'm feeling (and
looking) lean and mean. And, best of all, I
actually enjoyed the holidays more because I
always felt energetic. In years past, inactivity
and lots of food made me constantly sluggish
and tired." Here are a few tips that can bring you into the
new year without any new pounds.. 1. Do some type of exercise everyday, preferably
every morning. Now this can be as simple as a 15
minute walk some days but it's VERY important
that you do something everyday. Physiologically,
this keeps your metabolism elevated, helps to
control your appetite, and ENERGIZES you! Mentally, daily exercise increases your mental
acuity for hours after exercise, and it keeps you
in a "healthy" frame of mind. Many people tell
me that daily exercise helps them to make better
food choices because it makes them feel like
they are doing something healthy for themselves.
Commit to doing at least 15 minutes, but
preferably 30 to 60 minutes everyday during the
holidays. I think you'll be surprised. 2. Don't deprive yourself of those holiday
goodies that you enjoy. Tell yourself that you
can eat whatever you'd like to as long as it's
in moderation. For example, eat one Christmas
brownie instead of five. Take small bites of
that brownie, chew it well, savor every bite
so you can really enjoy the taste rather than
rushing to swallow it. The same for meals,
don't deprive yourself of the foods you enjoy
but eat them in moderation and savor every
bite. 3. Have lots of "healthy" foods available at
your home during the holidays. Make a big
fruit salad to keep in the frig when you need
a snack. Have some of your favorite veggies
ready to eat for when you're hungry. Make a
big salad and keep it ready to eat in the
frig. 4. Don't allow yourself to get too hungry. The
hungrier you are, the less control you have
over your eating. Always eat some healthy,
filling food before going to a party,
dinner, or any situation where you will be
exposed to lots of tempting food. 5. Strictly limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol
is really bad news!I call it the "triple
whammy"! it depresses your metabolism,
stimulates your appetite, and it's loaded
with calories. Alcohol has as many calories
per gram as fat! So, get energized with some daily exercise and
moderate food consumption, and REALLY enjoy
the holidays.. AND January 2. copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S. Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,
offers free, unique weight loss and fitness
articles at his site.. http://www.Landry.com
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