Hey, are you prepared for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas? Well, to be honest, I’ve been looking forward to the holiday season since last New Year’s Eve. With delicious cookies, buffets, meals and enough time to stay in my warm bed, I’m sure the American Dream is not a myth.
Still, holidays have their problem — holiday weight gain. According to statistics, most Americans gain weight over the holiday season. Good thing is such weight gain CAN be controlled according to studies.
10 top tips for weight management
1. Try to eat your meals at roughly the same times each day.
2. Look at the food labels for fat and sugar content.
3. Choose low-fat foods.
4. Choose fresh fruit or low-calorie yogurt instead of chocolate or chips, if you want to have snacks.
5. Choose water or calorie-free drinks and limit alcohol.
6. Eat your food slowly and don’t eat in front of the TV.
7. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
8. Don’t overeat.
9. Stand up for 10 minutes every hour.
10. Walk 10,000 steps each day.
Exercise can burn off calories
If you can’t completely follow the above tips, it’s ok. Taking exercise can burn off the extra calories over holidays.
In a study, the researchers offered the participants festive foods and asked them to perform activities. According to the results, if you take 5 pigs in a blanket, you need to walk for 12 minutes or run for six minutes to burn off the calories. And if you take 5 tablespoons of gravy, you need to walk for 8 minutes or run for 4 minutes.
More strategies…
If you have an office party at lunch, try to choose lower-calorie foods and eat less on dinner. Try to stay away from cookies and candies.
If you are the host of the event, try chewing sugar-free gum when preparing the meal so that you won’t eat too much during preparation. Remember to prepare your guests with enough vegetables, yogurts and fresh fruits.
Prepare for the events in advance. If you go outside for the meal, eat lighter before the meal. If the event is in the evening, eat enough breakfast and lunch so that you won’t take too much at dinner.
Last but not least, you can take activities not involving food. Attending holiday concerts or watching holiday lights are all good choices.
So, if you play your cards right, surely you can prevent weight gain over the holidays. Now, enjoy the holiday season!
