How to Avoid the Holiday Weight Gain
By Virginia Laird
Surrounded by homemade candies, pies, cookies, and other holiday treats, it can be difficult to exercise self-control when it comes to partaking of these goodies. Though it can be tempting to dive head first off your diet at the first whiff of pumpkin pie, it is wise to stay close to the path. This does not mean there can be zero sweets and treats, just remember to set some limits. Keep in the front of your mind how hard you have worked to get to where you are, and that it takes much less time to get back to where you were than it did to get to where you are. There are a few tips provided by various health and wellness professionals that can help you stay the course and prevent holiday weight gain, including:
- Routine exercise is vital
- Eat a small healthy meal before surrounding yourself with junk
- Don’t park next to your temptation
- Keep a food journal
Routine Exercise is Vital
It is important to maintain your routine exercise. This helps burn calories allowing for a little wiggle room when heading to your holiday gathering. Keep in mind, eating too much can pack the weight on even if you are exercising, but exercise can help.
Eat a Small Healthy Meal Before Surrounding Yourself with Junk
Never go to a party, holiday dinner, or other gathering where you will be surrounded by the most delicious holiday junk food while you are starving. This is a recipe for disaster. Eating a small healthy snack beforehand can help you keep from overeating. Going while starving can encourage the "eat everything in sight syndrome," which will surely cause weight gain and stomach discomfort.
Don’t Park Next to Your Temptation
It is wise not to sit near your favorite treat. This is certain to cause your craving for this dessert to increase. For me, this is chocolate pie. Each time someone walks by it, if I am anywhere near it, the aroma finds my nose. Every time someone comes to get a piece of the pie, I have the urge to get one too. I have been guilty of getting a piece of the pie because it looked as if it would be gone too soon. Nothing good comes from sitting near the treat you love the most. For some, if you have to get up and go to a little trouble to get a serving it can be enough to deter the urge to have a slice.
Keep a Food Journal
Food journals are one of the greatest tools when it comes to weight control. This is you writing down every single thing you consume on a daily basis. All too often people do not realize exactly how many calories are being consumed in a day. The first day or two of this can be truly eye opening.
Now put on your favorite holiday sweater, crank up the holiday tunes, and enjoy the season of giving!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Chandler, Ariz.
