By Lauren Hoyt
December 2004 - Before January comes and you’re spending precious holiday gift money on an expensive new gym membership, you may want to start thinking about what you can do to make this a healthier (and trimmer) holiday season.
If you’re like most people, you’re afraid of what the holidays mean for your waistline. The two months ahead mean parties and celebrations and feasts of fattening food. You probably won’t even have time to think about going to the gym.
The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. The best way to fight holiday weight gain is to know what you’re up against. Here’s some information and tips to help you prepare for the season and to look and feel your best.
- Pay attention to your hunger scale. “During the holidays, we end up doing a lot of unconscious eating,” privately practicing “dietician therapist” Amy Aubertin, MS RD LDN, of Fitchburg says. “It’s important to be aware of your body and if you’re physically hungry. Be extra careful not to overdo your normal satiety. Also, be aware of strong emotions during this time of the year that may cause you to overeat.”
- When headed to holiday parties, bring a low calorie snack, mingle away from the food table and fill your plate with healthy options first. And watch what and how much you drink! Alcohol can be one of the biggest calorie blunders.
Aubertin cautions, “Remember that alcohol contains calories and also that it can impair your ability to read your hunger.”
“Focus more on fun than the food [and drinks],” Jenny Prince, RD LDN, from the Weight Center at UMASS Memorial, says.
- You know that holiday meals are potential calorie disasters. What you may not know is that the average Thanksgiving meal with medium portion sizes is roughly 3,500 calories. That’s about three days of the reasonable daily caloric intake for the average female in her twenties.
- Modify recipes and portions, and plan ahead for the big day by cutting back on your caloric intake in the days before. There are, in fact, healthy options to keep in mind when you head to the table for that holiday meal. Turkey is a low fat food, as long as you skip the skin and go for white meat. Fill up on a big salad at the start of the meal along with low fat vegetables with no butter or sauce. That way you won’t have as much room for pie.
- It’s not all about avoidance. At a recent community talk titled “Eating Right for the Holidays,” Prince encouraged her audience to enjoy their favorite holiday treats.
“It wouldn’t be the holidays without things like pumpkin pie and Grandma’s cookies… it’s important not to sacrifice tradition,” she says. Choose one thing that you truly love, and let yourself enjoy it.
- So if you want to have fun during the holidays, enjoy yourself, indulge a little bit, and exercise! Increased exercise is one of the best ways to avoid tight fitting jeans come January. A lot of people are realizing that this is the way to go. At the Greater Boroughs YMCA in Westborough, a signup for the Holiday Challenge attracted 40 registrants within its first two days!
The six week Holiday Challenge kicks off November 22. Each week, various workouts are designed to set people in motion and keep them exercising throughout the holiday season. Call your local gym for information about similar programs.
- There are also small things you can do that will make a difference in this busy time of year. Prince suggests walking up stairs at the office, parking father away at the mall while doing your holiday shopping and doing exercise videos at home when bad weather sets in.
- The holidays are a great time to ask for exercise equipment, workout clothes, or that new mp3 player – anything to get you motivated for a workout.
“Be the one to initiate the exercise with family and friends,” Prince says.
By keeping everything in moderation, making healthier choices and making changes to increase your activity level, you can avoid gaining weight over this holiday season. Remember what the holidays are truly about and enjoy spending time with family and friends.
Author’s note: I want to thank the following people for their help on this article:
- Amy Aubertin, MS RD LDN, privately practicing nutritionist, registered dietician and “dietician therapist,” Fitchburg.
- Jenny Prince, RD LDN, Weight Center at UMASS Memorial Hospital, University Campus, Worcester.
- Susan Tiller, Director of Med Nutrition Therapy at UMass Medical Memorial Hospital, Worcester
- Greater Boroughs YMCA, Westborough