Wellness Wednesday -- Successfully Managing Weight Gain Throughout the Holiday Season

Successfully Managing Weight gain throughout the Holiday Season

It’s that time of year again. The holiday season is upon us, and with all of the festivities can come the seemingly inescapable holiday weight gain, or so you may think. Although a research study found perceived weight gain throughout the holidays to average around 3.5 pounds, in reality, actual weight gain during the holiday season averaged just less than 1 pound. This may not sound so bad, but if you don’t lose it you’ll be up 10 pounds in a decade without even noticing it.

Mindfulness Is Key:
One factor in holiday weight gain may be the abundance of food offerings within arms reach anywhere you turn. From candy dishes at work to cookie platters at home, the temptation can be hard to resist. Research shows that by simply placing goodies in opaque colored containers instead of transparent glassware, consumption can be decreased significantly.

Journal:

Research shows that daily food journaling can be an effective strategy to increase awareness of food consumption and help support weight loss efforts. Start our day by writing down exactly what you plan to eat, and then stick with it.

Eat When Hungry:

Have you ever tried to “make up” for what you know will be a gorge-worthy holiday meal by eating nothing leading up to the big event?

It is better to eat reasonable meals beforehand so that you feel satiated and are less likely to overindulge on sweets or stuffing.

Eat Your Fat First:

Fat will help you to feel full while also stimulating your metabolism. So “snacking” on your portion of these foods first, before helping yourself to all of the starchy sides and desserts, may help you keep your cravings and total food intake in check.

Exercise:

A brisk walk after your meal has several significant benefits. First, it will get you away from the food, making it less likely that you’ll help yourself to seconds or overindulge in dessert upon your return. Second, while supporting your digestion and metabolism, the physical activity will help to lower your blood sugar levels and insulin.

Simple Recipe Swaps:
Many holiday dishes are packed full of refined carbohydrates and added sugars. However, ingredient substitutions can offer healthy options while also maintaining the taste and texture of the original recipe.

Try some of the following simple swaps to help holiday favorites have less of an impact on blood glucose levels:

- When preparing recipes that call for all-purpose flour, a rich source of refined carbohydrates, try substituting one half of the flour for 100% whole-wheat flour. This swap helps to increase the fiber content and may help lower the glycemic load of the recipe.

- When baking with sugar, swap it for a natural alternative which can bake and brown just like sugar.

- Substitute one ounce of baking chocolate with 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to cut calories from the recipe.

Becoming more mindful of food choices and adjusting favorite holiday recipes to reduce the overall caloric value can help build healthier habits any time of the year!

Libbey B. CNT