Plan Your Holiday Outings for Better Weight Control

Nobody wants to start the New Year in the hole, weight wise. However, to manage your weight during the holidays, you must believe you can have seasonal fun without ditching your weight loss friendly habits. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the Holidays, as long as you keep a close eye on your personal behaviors. Do not use Thanksgiving and Christmas as an excuse and stretch bad habits out for weeks. Instead of focusing on your ultimate weight loss goals, start your journey by setting a goal to lose those first ten pounds. After all, losing some belly fat right away can provide substantial health gains and you will increase you chance of ultimate success. Researchers at Cornell University fed small portions of chocolate, apple pie and potato chips to one group and discovered they felt equally satisfied with their indulgences, even though they consumed only half the calories of the group that received larger portions.

• BE ACTIVE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY - Avoid any attempt at healing old wounds during the holidays. It is simply not the time or the environment to repair bad childhood memories. Moreover, avoid the disappointment of expecting people to change and accept the challenge of bringing out the "fun" in dysfunctional. After all, most families are.
• GET PLENTY OF SLEEP - Inadequate sleep has been linked to lower metabolism. This may be caused by alterations in your circadian rhythm, which is your biological clock that regulates many bodily functions including the release of hunger hormones.
• WATCH OUT FOR LIQUID CALORIES - Alcohol is an elusive source of calories and drinking creamy holiday cocktails can be equivalent to eating a rich calorie-packed dessert. If you are trying to lose weight during the holidays, stick with water and it can make a huge difference.
• CONSUME MORE WATER-RICH FOODS - Fresh fruits such as apricots, blueberries, oranges, peaches, pineapples, plums and raspberries contain over 80% water, whereas melons like cantaloupe and watermelon have some of the highest water content exceeding 90 percent by volume.
• DRAW A LINE IN THE SNOW - Make a proclamation that you refuse to feel guilty should you overindulge during the winter holidays. One slip up will not ruin a good weight management plan and you can easily make it up at your next meal or workout.
• EAT MORE FRESH FOOD - If you prepare you holiday meals from scratch, you can stay on top of what you eat and prevent unwanted weight gain. Moreover, if you plan our outings, it can go a long way towards preventing holiday pounds by allowing you to bring a healthy dish to share.
• INCLUDE HEALTHY FATS IN YOUR DIET - For decades, dietary fats were considered the villain when it came to weight gain. As it turns out, some fats are weight-loss friendly and support good health like satiating unsaturated fats made in nature and not in a food manufacturer's lab. Add nuts, seeds, fatty fish, olive oil and avocados to your holiday dishes.

During the winter holidays, tempting food options lie around every turn. Although it is easy to overindulge, it is not impossible to enjoy your favorite seasonal treats while eating healthy and maintaining control of weight. Many people beat themselves up over what they cannot eat this time of year when all they really need to do is plan ahead and stick to their plan for controlled holiday indulgences. Thanksgiving and Christmas are just two days on the calendar. It is up to you to decide if it is worth sabotaging all your hard work with overindulgence throughout the holiday season. To make life a lot easier for yourself, don't buy festive foods until a couple days before the appropriate holiday.

Metabolic Research Center offers a variety of weight loss recipes and personalized eating plans to suit the unique needs and preferences of our clients. Stop by or call today to learn more about managing your weight over the upcoming winter holidays. Be a healthier, happier version of you.