Water Rich Fruits & Veggies Can Be Served in Festive Ways

Thanksgiving typically marks the beginning of a six-week period of overindulging in food and drink followed by unwanted weight gain. Let's face it there are more celebrations, more food, more alcohol, more appetizers and more calorie-dense snacks during the Holidays than any other time of the year. Moreover, our Holiday season is never just one day of overeating, which the body actually handles quite efficiently. Instead, the winter holidays represent weeks of bad eating behaviors, stressful situations and never-ending sleep disturbances. Nonetheless, it is never a good idea to save up your calories, so you can eat whatever you want at the party or holiday dinner. The risk of overeating is less if you keep your hunger in check.

• FOCUS ON YOUR PLAN - You can limit the amount of sweet treats you eat by offering to split a dessert with a sibling or friend. Dividing a holiday-size serving into smaller portions will keep you focused on your meal while enjoying the special holiday occasion.
• DRINK MORE WATER - Since it takes time for extra calories to convert to fat deposits, a lot of holiday weight gain can be bloat. If you drink more water during the holiday season, you can easily flush some of the extra sodium that causes bloat from your body.
• PORTION FOOD SIZES - It doesn't help the same if you are reducing your carbs and increasing your protein intake if you are overeating at the same time. You don't have to count calories to lose weight but you will benefit from managing portion sizes for your intake of macronutrients, such as carbs, protein and fats.
• GET PLENTY OF SLEEP - It is a myth that people need to retire earlier and wake up later during the winter months. There's no biological evidence that demonstrates a technical need for extra sleep. So, stick as close to your normal schedule as you can.
• AVOID LIQUID CALORIES - Not only are alcoholic drinks a source of hidden calories, consuming alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes it more likely that you will forget your plan and overindulge in holiday temptations. So, nurse your glass and drink slowly or choose to sip on a carbonated water with a slice of lime.
• CONSUME MORE WATER-RICH FOODS - Grocery stores can be traps and during the winter holiday season tend to be over crowded. Avoid the urge to grab attractive food items on the go. Many processed foods are loaded with added sugars, fat and salt. Shop the perimeter for fresh, water-rich snacks instead.

There's no reason to stick your head in the sand to hide from the winter holiday season. With just a few weight control strategies, you can avoid weight gain while enjoying friends, family and a holiday feast. Although it may be tempting to "burn the candle at both ends" during the holidays, it is crucial to give your body the rest it needs to recuperate from all the holiday festivities. So, pace yourself. When you get too little sleep, hunger hormones are incorrectly released by the brain. If you exceed the limits of your calorie intake one day, do not allow yourself to feel like a failure. After all, it truly takes more than one day of overeating to affect your progress.

Personalized menu plans from Metabolic Research Center offer a variety of wholesome food choices and our online recipes instruct you how to incorporate real food into delicious recipes for weight-friendly options for pumpkin spice pancakes, easy crock pot brownies, apple pie cheesecake, caramel corn or vanilla bread pudding to make your winter holidays special. Call now to learn more or stop by the MRC location nearest you.