Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
Yes. It CAN Be Done!
If you are worried about gaining weight during the upcoming holiday season, here is my seasonal gift to you.
Research suggests that Americans, on average, gain only about 1.5 pounds during the holiday season, which launched at the start of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and lasts until New Year’s Day. (Of course, if your beloved NFL team is in the Super Bowl, the holiday season could extend to early February. Fingers crossed for the New England Patriots. I will gladly deal with an extended holiday season for the sake of my hometown team.)
But before you pop the celebratory champagne, here’s the not-so-jolly news. According to research, many of us don’t lose that post-holiday weight gain, but rather we carry it over year after year. After a decade of holiday celebrations, it’s no wonder that those jeans are more challenging to wear each year.
The culprit behind this seasonal weight gain is likely a jam-packed schedule of too many holiday obligations and parties. Here are three tips that can help you avoid unwanted weight gain:
Tip #1 - Sip on Soup
The best holiday party eating strategy starts before you leave your house. Research suggests that eating a low-calorie soup prior to a meal can help reduce your hunger and appetite at the meal. Try heating up a mug of hearty vegetable soup prior to the party to keep you from chowing down on those high-calorie appetizers that typically welcome you at the door of every holiday event. Make up a large pot of vegetable soup and ladle it into individually-sized, freezer- and microwave-proof containers. Stack them in the freezer and reheat them in the microwave for a filling low-calorie “appetizer” before heading out to every holiday party you attend.
Tip #2 - Go Fishing for Shrimp
If you are lucky to go to a party that serves shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, reel in this healthy choice. Shrimp are high in protein, yet low in calories and heart-unhealthy saturated fat. They also serve up healthy omega-3 fatty acids to boot. Since protein increases satiety, eating shrimp prior to the main meal will also help you better manage your dinner portions.
Tip #3 - Adopt a New Dinner Buffet Game Plan
Believe it or not, there appears to be a healthy strategy to maneuvering around a buffet table chockfull of tempting options. In a study, researchers randomly assigned over 120 people to one of two breakfast buffets and allowed them to choose anything they wanted to eat. Each buffet table contained the same foods, but displayed them in different orders. The first buffet started with healthier foods options, such as fruit and low-fat yogurt, and ended with higher-calorie options like cheesy eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls. The other buffet table had the same foods but in the reverse order. The researchers found that more than 85 percent of people took fruit when it was the first item on the buffet table, but only 54 percent took fruit when it was at the end of the buffet table. To help you better manage the calories on your meal, load up your plate with lower-calorie foods such as fruits and veggies first so that there is less room for higher calorie foods. This strategy will still allow you to enjoy your food favorites, but in smaller portions, but similar satisfaction.