The holidays are upon us! The glamour and excitement of the season is surrounded by lavish menu selections which leads many of us to worry about gaining extra weight.
It has been suggested that one can expect an average of 4-6 lb. weight gain from Thanksgiving to the New Year’s, but the actual weight gain statistically is 1 lb. The challenge is that 1 lb. becomes difficult to lose and the winter months often lead to comfort food eating.
Here are some tips to follow to help maintain your weight during the holiday season.
- Have a healthy snack such as carrots and hummus before leaving for any holiday celebrations, to give you a feeling of fullness.
- Look for a dessert plate to place your food items on rather than a dinner plate. This will greatly help with portion control.
- Although it may be difficult to resist grabbing bread, make sure to choose vegetable crudités with your food.
- Avoid dishes with sauces or fried food items. These items may look appetizing, but will lead to weight gain, and remember, our goal is to maintain our present weight this holiday season!
- Choose half portions of items offered instead of the full spoon. This will be especially easy if you follow tip #2 and choose a dessert plate to place your food on.
- Follow the 1 serving a day of a dessert, which would also include candies and holiday treats that may be available throughout the day.
- If you are planning on a dessert, skip the higher carbohydrate offerings of pasta, rice and potatoes.
- Choose sparkling waters for beverages over high calorie egg nog. If choosing an alcoholic beverage, a single serving of wine is suggested.
- Mingle amongst the guests. Do not stand near the buffet line; it will be tempting to indulge!
- Comfort is important in clothing, but avoid elastic waisted garments as your holiday attire and also baggy clothing. Wear something that can be belted to remind you of cutting down on your caloric intake.
Keep this saying by Dr. Stephen Guent in mind,
“People gain weight during the holidays by voluntarily overeating!”
Annette Catalfano, RDN
Corporate Dietician
Five Star Senior Living