MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT OVER THE HOLIDAYS – For Your Health
Tis the season not to decide you want to lose weight! However, there is a way to survive the holidays without gaining a ton of weight, while still enjoying all the activities and parties.
No one should ever be on a diet; it should be about life style, one that I have seen hundreds of patients successfully start living. Losing weight, even five pounds, changes lives and health. It is the one thing in medicine we can treat that will positively impact all the other chronic diseases many Americans now are facing.
Here are a few tips to survive until the time is right for you to commit to life-style changes:
1-Eat before you go to the party. Work out or go for a walk, then come home and eat a high protein meal or snack, plus drink a big glass of water. A big mistake people make is the decision to fast all day before the party. Not a good idea as this sets you up for failure, because then you go to the party and eat everything and hate yourself later.
2-Water. Water. Water. Drink at least 64 oz. a day. Enjoy one glass of your favorite holiday beverage, then stick with the water (don’t be afraid to liven it up with limes, lemons or cucumber). Alcohol and pop are two very big reasons why people gain a lot of weight over the holidays (you don’t even want to know how much weight egg nog puts on you). As you mingle, hold a cup of water in your hand throughout the party. Grab some nuts every so often and munch on those, almonds and cashews are perfect.
3-Protein and green vegetables are the way to go. Usually you can find protein and veggies at the party, even those cheese trays and meat balls are better than the carbs on the table. Take a bite of those special foods you want. Otherwise, if you tell yourself you can’t have it, most people will lose the battle with themselves and eat the whole thing. So enjoy smaller portions of your favorites and after that special party, get right back to eating healthy.
4-Bring the healthy foods you can eat to share. Vegetable trays, meat and cheese trays or chili. Google recipes or buy low carbohydrate fun holiday foods. There are so many delicious ones out there.
5-After the party take a walk. Don’t dwell on the decisions you made while you were there, move forward and get right back on track. No one will ever be perfect at this food thing. Beating yourself up over enjoying all your favorite foods at a party isn’t productive. The next day get up and workout or go for a walk and eat better. Don’t forget, your water the next day is key as well. 64 oz. a day.
The holidays for many are stressful, there’s no need to add to that by trying to lose weight. Eat right on regular days, exercise, and on those special occasions, use the above steps to do better than last year. Modify your portions and don’t tell yourself you can’t have something. If you just eat less and drink less than you usually do during the holidays then you have succeeded. Learning to eat and live heathier takes time. Remember you are asking yourself to change how you have eaten most likely your whole life, changing it over the holidays is not only tough, but unrealistic.
Enjoy the holidays, don’t task yourself with trying to lose weight. Maintaining your weight should be your goal. Small changes over time leads to huge success in the long run.
This article is sponsored by Kingston Residence
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