Say "No" to Holiday Weight Gain

For those of us who struggle with our weight, this is the most treacherous time of the year!

Halloween…..Thanksgiving…..Christmas…..followed by New Years. It’s a virtual two month obstacle course for the “weight challenged”.

The time of the year when many of us forget about our commitment to diet and better health, because it is the holiday season.

STOP! Avoid that thought process and refocus. Stay Committed!

Understand the “spell” sugar puts on your body. When you have a little bit of sugar it seems to perpetuate a cycle of craving more sugar. For most people, the less sugar they eat, the less they crave. Understand that eating even a little sugar may create a candy binge!

• Keep healthy snacks readily available. An example is an orange versus a handful of chips. It takes a full two minutes, depending on your peeling efficiency to peel an orange. Chips on the other hand, you open the bag, grab a handful and immediate gratification. Make a plan, have fruit or vegetables cut up ahead of time, and you are more likely to grab it because it’s easy.

• Buy candy that you dislike. Plain and simple, if you buy candy you can’t stand, you are much less likely to eat it!

• Be careful about defining a holiday strictly with food. We commonly allow ourselves to fall into this trap. When we allow this to happen, we become too entrenched on the practice of over eating and usually consuming foods that aren't’t very good for us. Not that we can’t enjoy a wonderful holiday meal, but use good judgment and eat in moderation. Controlling portion size is the key.

• Relax. Every time you feel you have been denied something it’s only human nature to hoard the very thing you have been denied. Allow yourself a little something. It’s OK, really.
  

It’s important that I again stress the importance of moderation. The main reason we often overindulge during a holiday, is that we feel we can’t have the "good stuff" ever again! We all know this is only an excuse to give in to temptation. You’re an adult -- act like one!

So as you enter the Holiday season, do so practicing moderation. Be reasonable, and treat yourself now and again. Having a treat or a desert now and again keeps us in balance much better than telling ourselves we can never indulge again. Just remember that indulgence doesn't mean infinite amounts. Keep it in check and you won’t have to worry about the added Holiday pounds!

Dr. Dennis Padla,
Medical Consultant,
ManageYourWeight.com