One of the most common weight management challenges for Americans every year is preventing weight gain during the holiday season.
Many people will attend holiday parties with buffets that seem to have too many desserts and few fruits and vegetables and any of these that may be around are frequently full of added sugar and fat.
A decrease in physical exercise can also contribute to weight gain. Busy individuals who are usually active frequently experience a significant drop in their activity during the holiday season.
Many Soldiers go to mom's or grandma's house and can gain more than 10 pounds in less than two weeks. Unfortunately, Soldiers can be especially be vulnerable to excessive holiday weight gain since they are usually active but may not exercise at all when they go on long holiday leaves. Even adults who gain just one to two pounds every year during the holidays can end up 10 to 20 pounds heavier over a 10-year period. Holiday eating is a major contributing factor to obesity and all the overeating leads to many New Year's resolutions to lose weight.
There are various strategies that can be used to avoid or minimize weight gain. It is important to choose foods wisely and stick to one small or moderate serving of a few high calorie foods.
Pick the foods you like the most, such as mashed potatoes, and do not take foods you don't like that much, such as passing over the dinner rolls or macaroni and cheese.
Put a smaller amount of gravy on the mashed potatoes and don't pile your plate with food.
Ideally, it is better to eat off a smaller plate, since the larger the plate, the more people tend to eat. If many desserts are available, take a favorite dessert or smaller portions of a couple of desserts. Leave the desserts you probably will not like as much.
Eating smaller portions of favorite high calorie foods, passing over the foods that are not favorites and limiting portions of sauces and gravies will help limit overall calories consumed during a meal. It is also important to choose lower calorie fruits and vegetables when available. Filling up half the plate with fruits and vegetables will lower the overall calorie count, but watch portions of the higher calorie fruits and vegetables.
Those who suspect they will be going to a buffet that will not have any plain fruits and vegetables might want to bring these foods to the buffet themselves. Stop by the grocery store for a vegetable tray or large fruit bowl and you will provide everyone at the party the opportunity to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables.
Many people will try to ''save'' their calories and skip meals in anticipation of having a large meal but this frequently leads to eating too much because these individuals are hungry by the time they start eating, and self-control often goes out the window.
It is important to still eat small, regular meals before having the holiday meal to promote portion control later in the day and boost the metabolism, and it helps to have a small snack such as a piece of fruit right before going to a buffet to prevent overeating. Also make sure to drink plenty of water during the day and drink water or lower calorie or calorie free beverages during meals since dehydration can cause people to eat more. Eating slowly and enjoying the food also helps with portion control.
After having one plate of food, take a break and drink some water. Get away from the food table if possible, talk to people, and do not focus on the food. Those who are still hungry will usually feel full or almost full a few minutes later. And do not waste holiday calories on foods that do not taste good. If a food does not taste good after the first bite, stop eating it and leave it on the plate. Also watch the eggnog, alcohol, especially mixed drinks, and other beverages that are full of calories. Drinking alcohol can also cause a loss of control that can lead to overeating.
Those who like to bake sweets during the holidays but find they eat too much of what they bake could prepare holiday treats they do not like that much or give most of them away. Those who do not really like peanut butter cookies could make peanut butter cookies and not be tempted to eat too many. Those who love fudge could make it and quickly give most of it away. Making sweets with less fat and sugar such as substituting applesauce for oil or butter whenever possible and substituting half the sugar with substitutes will decrease the overall calories in the recipe and the dessert will still taste good.
Another important step to take to prevent or minimize holiday weight gain is continuing to exercise on a regular basis. Park far away from the shopping center, take a long walk after a meal and make time in your schedule to exercise.
Soldiers who go out of town should exercise as much as possible while on holiday leave. Some individuals vacation near military installations so they can go to the military installation gym.
If it is too cold to exercise outside, and no gym is conveniently nearby, develop an indoor exercise routine. Obtaining a daily weight can also help minimize weight gain. Chances are if a person weighs himself daily and wants to prevent weight gain, he will either cut back his food intake or exercise more if the scale indicates he is starting to gain weight.
If no scale is available, buy a scale from the local store; don't let yourself gain many pounds and just count on exercising it away after returning from holiday leave. It can be hard to lose holiday weight and can impact careers when Soldiers fail to maintain Army body fat standards.
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