Extra Holiday Sleep Makes Weight Control Much Easier

To avoid Holiday weight gain, you will need some simple strategies for managing your weight plus clever ways to lose any of the weight you gain. The human body can be quite remarkable in its ability to maintain a stable weight. Unfortunately, in our country, many overweight people gradually gain weight every year and never make the effort to lose it and keep it off. Whether you want to maintain your current weight or have intentions to lose weight during the Holidays, the more muscle mass you have, the better your metabolic burn. Nonetheless, a real difference comes from putting more of the right foods on your plate while managing the treats. It is very easy to procrastinate and use the Holiday Season as an excuse by postponing what you want until next year. However, the best time to fulfill your weight loss goals is to start your journey before the Holidays.

• LEARN HOW TO SAY NO - Practice saying "no" politely. Just because it is a festive time of year, you are not obliged to eat and drink high-calorie foods. Remember, conversation is fat-free, sugar free and zero calories, so mingle and focus on socializing and not the food table.
• REMAIN UPBEAT & ACTIVE - No matter how busy the holiday season gets, remain determined to squeeze exercise even if you have to break it up throughout the day to maintain cumulative totals, which will still have a positive effect.
• GET EXTRA REST - Between holiday shopping, parties and family travel, the winter holiday season can leave you short on time and sleep. Nonetheless, a lack of quality sleep increases your chances of holiday weight gain due to unsatisfactory sleep.
• AVOID LIQUID CALORIES - Soft drinks are a primary source of empty liquid calories in our culture. Americans drink twice as much sugary soda as milk and nearly six times more soda than fruit juice. Fact is, if you are craving something sweet, you're better off eating it rather than drinking it since solid foods are better at curbing appetite.
• EAT WATER-RICH FOODS - Eating a salad before your holiday meals can help you consume fewer calories and hydrate your body with water-filled fresh vegetables and fruits. To be safe, prepare a potluck appetizer with handpicked ingredients and take it with you, so others can benefit as well.
• ADD A HOLIDAY EXERCISE - By optimizing your diet and holiday exercise regimen, you can lose weight regardless of the seasonal influences. Although this will not be pure fat loss, it may be the kick start you need to follow a sustainable diet throughout the holidays rather than relying on post-holiday crash dieting.
• BE PICKY BUT EAT - A recent study indicated that people who wait for all the food to be on the table before making their initial food selections, ate about 15% less food than those who keep refilling as each plate passes by. So, being fussy about your Holiday choices can be effective.

The less you have to rely on willpower over the winter holidays, the better. Moreover, creating good strategies for managing food consumption at parties, dinners and other events, the more empowered you feel in making good food choices. While you cannot control every situation you encounter during the holidays, you can control how much food goes into your mouth. To avoid feeling completely drained when you ring in the New Year, you must empower yourself to manage what you eat, how you indulge in alcohol, what counter measures you employ to manage seasonal stress as well as what, when and how much you choose to eat. Nonetheless, you can allow yourself one small serving of seasonal treat each day during the holidays.

Metabolic Research Center has weight friendly versions of your favorite holiday foods, including meals, snacks, desserts and treats. Our recipes are easy to follow, simple to prepare and guaranteed to help keep you on track throughout any holiday season. Visit the MRC nearest you to get started on your journey today.