Unless you plan to hibernate like a bear, there is no reason for you to pad your body with excess fat for the winter, but many people do that each year. It’s easy to do if you have family and do a lot of visiting for the holidays. You have Thanksgiving meals and Christmas meals, and lots of pies and fatty goodies. So how can you make it through all that food without putting on the pounds?
Watch Your Serving Sizes
Just because the holidays are a time for consumption doesn’t mean that you need to consume everything in sight. Just like any other day, you want to make sure that you are following portion rules. And you don’t need to go for seconds either.
There is plenty of food, so slow it down and don’t act like a starving, rabid dog. Start small and if you have to, and then add on if you need some more to fill up your belly. And you don’t really need to eat until you’re full either (leave room for dessert.)
Try A Little Bit, But Not A Lot
When it comes to dessert, keep your treats minimal. Sugar is addictive, and fattening, and it’s better to keep your consumption to a minimum. If you get to make your own dessert to bring along, make something low-fat or fat-free, and low sugar.
If you must try other desserts, take small portion, even just a taste should be enough to help you keep that holiday spirit up and that waist size down. While dessert may be the best part of holidays (aside from turkey), you really should mind your health and keep the sweets and sugars to a minimum.
Don’t Nap Right After The Meal
Don’t eat before you go to bed, and don’t take a nap right after you eat. You want to get up and move around and work off some of those calories you just ate. If you ate so much that you just can’t keep your eyes open anymore then you ate too much.
Work In A Workout
Try not to skip your workout just because it’s the holidays. Even if all you can fit in is a walk around the block, something is better than nothing. Take the family dog for a walk, or grab a cousin or grandchild and take them for a little walk to enjoy the holiday yard decorations.
While you’re not going to try to lose weight during the holiday season, you also want to try not to gain a bunch either. Just remember that there is plenty of food to go around, and it’s just another day so you don’t need to treat your eating habits any different than you would have a week ago. Watch your portions, and have some holiday fun!
Originally posted on October 19, 2015 @ 9:25 pm