Caution: Holiday eating ahead
The feasts and parties that mark the holiday season can tax the arteries and strain the waistline. By eating just 200 extra calories a day — a piece of pecan pie and a cup of eggnog here, a glass of punch and butter cookies there — you could pack on two to three pounds over this five- to six-week period.
It may not sound like much, but few people shed that extra weight in the following months and years.
By practicing a bit of defensive eating and cooking, you can come through the holidays without making “go on a diet” one of your New Year’s resolutions.
- Budget wisely. Don’t eat everything at feasts and parties. Be choosy and spend calories on the foods you love.
- Take a few second seconds for your brain to get the “I am full signal” before going back for seconds.
- Don’t stand next to the food table.
- Don’t leave home with an empty tank. Eat something ahead of time.
- Avoid alcohol on an empty stomach. Alcohol increases your appetite and diminishes your ability to control what you eat.
- Put on your dancing (or walking) shoes to burn some of those extra calories.
- Make room for veggies and fruit.
- Be buffet savvy. Wander ’round the food table before putting anything on your plate. By checking out all of your options, you might be less inclined to pile on items one after another.
Source: Harvard Health
