Use Willpower to Avoid Nasty Pitfalls During the Holidays

Men and women who have battle weight gain, and weight loss, for years will find the holiday season difficult when it comes to weight fluctuations. However, there's more to it than simply overeating as the time of year is stressful and sleep disturbances are common place. During the winter holiday season, keep reminding yourself that you will have plenty of opportunities to eat seasonal foods and don't give in to every food that crosses your path. If you honor your true feelings of fullness, you won't get in trouble eating a certain food when you're truly in the mood. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, most people never lose the pound of weight they gain during the winter holidays, which helps explain why many men and women have mid-life weight gain during adulthood.

• USE WILLPOWER - Chewing slowly and thoroughly are exercises in willpower that will allow you to recognize when your body feels full. It can also help to relax before you start eating by taking a few deep breaths to minimize distractions. Monitor your intake of alcohol and fancy Holiday drinks with added sugar.
• PORTION FOOD SIZES - While having a small portion of a calorie-dense holiday dish may be in your eating plan, start by filling your stomach with lower-calorie, nutrient-dense offerings. Nonetheless, don't ignore serving sizes. It is easy to overindulge eating healthy foods during the holidays, too.
• FOCUS ON YOUR MEAL - Break away from the conversation as you approach the food table to give yourself a moment to survey your food options. Skip anything you don't care for or that you can have any day of the week. That way you should have room to enjoy those seasonal food options that you truly crave. But, don't overindulge.
• DRINK MORE WATER - During the holiday season, always try to drink a glass of water before you eat. In fact, it is smart to add water to any alcoholic drink you enjoy, or at least drink a glass between rounds. Alcohol can produce a nasty post-party headache if you allow your body to become dehydrated.
• ADD HOLIDAY EXERCISES - Everyone has a lot on their plate during the winter holiday season and physical activity often takes a back to seat. But being active is one of the secret weapons that can help you maintain balance. Adding a brisk walk can help to reduce stress and promote restful sleep.
• CHOOSE WHAT TO EAT - When choosing holiday foods, stay away from items that have little to no nutritional value and empty calories like simple carbohydrates. Have a seasonal treat but skip the processed and packaged snack foods as these have too much added sugar and salt.

According to an article in Psychology Today, your brain responds to just thinking about food by sending pleasure signals. Moreover, people who profess that they are not going to eat a specific food may have made it more difficult to forget the hunger pangs they created. Having an eating strategy makes you extra sensitive to changes in your weight causing a need for an immediate adjustment to reduce any discrepancies. It is questionable whether you should set a hard-fast goal to lose weight during the Holidays. After all, if you keep up your exercise routine and follow your weight-control menu plan with portion control, you can survive the holidays with no pressure to lose weight until the New Year. If the party you attend has finger foods, opt for water-rich fruits and veggie hors d'oeuvres like watermelon, celery or cucumbers.

Healthy living programs from Metabolic Research Center are science based with weight friendly recipes to help clients adopt healthy eating behaviors and physical activities to transform their lives by maintaining a healthy weight before, during and after the winter holidays. Call to get started today.