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

Wellness Wednesday -- Individualize Your Meal Plan

Although every member of the human race requires pretty much the same basic set of nutrients, no two people really eat the exact same foods every day. There are just too many factors influencing what we choose to eat. So instead of trying to mimic someone else's plate, individualize your meal plan so you can get the nutrients you need to maintain your best health and well-being. Although it sounds complicated, creating such a plan can be simpler than you think.

First, consider the factors that influence what you buy at the market and what you put in your mouth at each meal: 

·    Flavor- How a food tastes, smells, looks, and feels

·    Cost- Many people can't afford to purchase 100 percent organic food. If, however, you choose to buy organic, you need to decide where to spend your organic dollar.

·    Convenience- Some markets around the country do not carry certain foods, especially specialty foods that may not be in high demand.

·    Nutritional content- You may check the nutrition label to determine if the foods' ingredients or nutritional content meets your standards. 

·    Culture- Where you live and where your family's from can influence how often you eat a food.

·    Demographics- Age, educational level and income also influence food selection.

·    Health- If you are allergic to peanuts, you won't be buying jars of peanut butter for a PB&J sandwich.

·    Sustainability- You may also be concerned about how food is grown or raised, and how it affects the environment. You may choose to eat local, GMO free foods, or grass-fed meat.

·    Social influence- How children and young adults eat can be especially influenced by peer pressure.  

·    Emotions- Think what you eat when you're sad, happy, stressed or bored. How you feel can impact what you eat.

·    The media- News reports can scare you or make you feel like you should (or shouldn't) be eating a certain food.

These factors influence people in different ways. As such, all of our meal plans should be individualized so we can take in essential nutrients from each food group, including lean protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, dairy and healthy fat. 

Still need guidance? No problem! There are many free website that have tools to help you eat a well-balanced diet. If you still need more assistance, a nutritionist can help. He or she will look at your medical history, likes and dislikes, lifestyle and other factors to help you develop an individualized meal plan that's right for you.  -Tobi Amidor

Wellness Wednesday -- Overcome Halloween Treat Temptations

Halloween can be a scary time for those trying to maintain a healthy diet. Beyond calorie count, even bite-sized portions of sweet treats are filled with enough sugar, fat and additives to send your system into overdrive.

While it's true that no Halloween candy is actually good for you, some choices are better than others. So whether you're handing out treats to the neighborhood ghouls and goblins or heading door-to-door in a frightening costume, here are tips for making the best Halloween candy choices:

Trans Fat Terror

Any candy with trans fat, considered the worst type of fat, should be taken off your Halloween shopping list. Trans fats make foods taste good and last a long time, but unlike other dietary fats, they also raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and lower your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Eating trans fats can raise your risk of developing heart disease and stroke and is associated with a higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The manufactured form of trans fat, known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, is found in a variety of food products, including candy.

Trick or treat favorites such as Snickers, Reese's Pieces and even Skittles contain trans fat. If you must have your fix of these candies, opt for fun-sized or miniatures instead of the full-size candy bar or packet.

Better Halloween treat choices are a Reese's Cup, Mounds or Kit Kat.

Hidden trans fat in food can add up quickly. Food labels in the U.S. can read 0 grams trans fat so long as the food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. The problem is, these small amounts can lead to a big issue. Make sure when you check the candy label for trans fat, you're also looking for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. If found on the ingredient list, the food does contains some trans fat, even if 0 grams per serving is listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel.

High Fructose Corn Syrup Horror

High Fructose Corn Syrup is commonly used in place of sugar in highly processed foods like Halloween candy. Unlike sugar, which comes from a plant, HFCS is formed from a chemical process that turns corn into a sweetener. While there is controversy about whether the body handles HFCS differently than table sugar, we know that as the use of this type of sweetener has increased, so have levels of obesity, diabetes and other related health problems.

When choosing Halloween candy, look for treats with as little sugar as possible and no high fructose corn syrup.

Candies like Baby Ruth, Hershey's Whatchamacallit and even Lifesavers contain HFCS.

Better Halloween treat choices with no HFCS and less than 10 grams of sugar include Hershey's Nuggets, Kit Kat snack-size bar or fun-sized Peanut M&M's.

Halloween Candy Hall of Fame

There is no "healthy" Halloween candy; however, when shopping or filling your trick-or- treat bag, here are some options to consider.

10 Lower Sugar Treats With No Trans Fat or High Fructose Corn Syrup:

Candy	Serving Size	Grams of Sugar
Hershey's Miniatures	1 miniature	4.4
Reese's Mini Cup	1 mini cup	4.6
Twizzlers	1 piece	4.75
Hershey's Nuggets	1 nugget	5.75
Smarties	1 roll	6
Nestlé Crunch Fun Size Bar	1 fun size bar	7
Kit Kat Snack Size Bar	1 snack size bar	7
Mounds Fun Size Bar	1 fun size bar	7
Haribo Gummi-Bears	1 snack size bag	7.3
Twix Fun Size Bar	1 fun size bar	8

Don't get tricked into thinking that a few more pieces of candy won't matter. Grams of sugar can quickly add up with multiple servings. If you remember that moderation is key, allowing yourself a few treats this Halloween won't sabotage your healthy habits.- Lauren Popeck