Weighing in on the break

It’s that time of year again! Everyone’s winding down and looking forward to the festive season. But there is one thing I am definitely not looking forward to – the inevitable unwanted guest that comes around every vacation – weight gain.

This year I am determined that no amount of xmas candy or end of year parties will make me invite that unwanted guest that ends up extending their welcome. I’ve tried a lot of diets and exercises and the worst thing for them is a big ol’ holiday. Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Eid, Diwali you name it we eat for it. Can you imagine any big holiday without food?

I love food. I love eating. This is why I can never diet nor have I ever seriously tried to. I believe a balanced diet and moderate exercise should be enough to keep a person healthy. So I’ve collated some tips tricks and myths to help you through the festive season. Stay happy, healthy and enjoy everything in moderation!

 Factors contributing to dietary disasters:

• Food-focused celebrations: We socialise with friends and family using food and drink. And on holidays the availability increases — raising the temptation to overindulge. The pressure to give in can be great, as we don’t want to offend the host and the alcohol served at many social events can also destroy our resolve to eat in moderation.
• Stress: Holiday obligations and expectations add to the strain of everyday life and the stress can lead to overeating.
• Exhaustion: The demands of festivities can leave people feeling sluggish and sleep-deprived. And when people are tired, they’re more likely to overeat
• Emotional eating: Some people use food to soothe sadness, anxiety, dissatisfaction, or loss. Others simply use any celebration as an excuse to overindulge. Also when people who are trying hard to eat healthy fall off the wagon, many get frustrated and give up.
• Weather: Some people crave high-calorie comfort food and drink in hot weather telling themselves it’s the holidays and its ok. DON’T! You will regret it later.

 Tips to beat the bulge this summer:

• Be conscious of what you eat and how much – Allow yourself some special treats on the holidays but have moderate servings. When there’s a lot of food available, try an appetizer-sized helping of each dish instead of dishing up a full serving.
• Manage Stress and Emotions – One way to keep stress at a minimum is to lower your expectations about holidays.
• Learn to say “no,” in a courteous manner, to activities and food that aren’t in your best interest. People may grow to respect it, and may even emulate it
• If you’re sad about a loss, turn to people for comfort instead of food.
• At social events, don’t fill silence with food. Make an effort to really get to know people, beyond superficial small talk and you will find you are eating less
• Eat a little before you go to a holiday gathering; hunger can undo the best intentions.
• Avoid sources of temptation whenever you can. After visiting a buffet, leave the room that’s filled with food. If there are sweets in the office break room, don’t go there. If you’re given unhealthy food as a gift, bring it to the office to share.
• If you’re traveling for the holidays, pick up some healthy, portable snacks at the grocery store before you leave so you’re less likely to be tempted by unhealthy options

 Tips to continue into the New Year:

• Drink one glass of water every hour. It will make you feel full.
• Drink ice cold water. Your body will burn calories just getting the water to a normal temperature to digest. Also it is great for your complexion.
• Drink 3 cups of green tea daily. It will help boost your metabolism, plus its anti-oxidants make your skin look great.
• Take vitamins daily. Do not take vitamins on an empty stomach, otherwise they have nothing to catalyse with.
• Eat ice or gum when hungry. This will make your body think it had food without the calories.
• Eat spicy foods. They raise your metabolism.
• Take cold showers because your body will burn calories to heat you back up.
• DON’T take laxatives. They don’t help you to lose weight. DON’T use diuretics. They only dehydrate you.
• Brush your teeth constantly so you won’t be tempted to eat afterwards.
• Wear a rubber band around your wrist. Snap it when you want to eat.
• Clean something gross (toilet, litter box, boyfriend’s closet) when you want to eat. You will not want to eat after cleaning a litter box.
•  Use smaller plates and utensils so it seems like you ate more.
• It takes 20 minutes for the brain to realize the stomach is full. Chew food thoroughly and then take a sip of water between bites. You will feel full quicker and will not eat as much.
• Sleep at least eight hours a day. If you get less than eight this can lower your metabolism by 15%.
• Keep good posture, burns 10% more calories when you sit up straight.
• Make a list of all the “bad” foods that you crave and tend to binge on. Each day, pick one to take out of your diet that you absolutely, no matter what, cannot eat again. Take one off the list each day until there are no more bad foods you can have.
• Avoid alcohol! A shot of liquor has 100-120 calories, a glass of wine has 80 calories, a lite beer has 110-120 calories, and a regular beer has 140-170 calories.
• Never eat anything bigger than about a cup, your stomach will expand and then you’ll get hungry more.
• Wear lip gloss. It makes you more aware of what’s going in your mouth. Also, flavored ones help with cravings.
• Eat lots of fiber. It makes you feel full and takes fat with it out of your body. The natural cleansing helps improve both your energy level and overall feeling of wellness.
• Read the nutritional information. Remember, fat-free does not mean calorie-free. Also keep an eye on fiber content. Get as much fiber into your diet as you can, while cutting fat and calories.
• Don’t eat a lot at once. Spread your food throughout the day.
• Do not eat in front of the computer or TV. This distracts you from recognizing you’re full

 Common myths regarding weight loss:

• Myth #1: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss. Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight.
• Myth #2: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight. Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber.
• Myth #3: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight. Fact: Many foods high in starch, are low in fat and calories such as bread, rice and pasta. They become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important source of energy for your body.
• Myth #4: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight. Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.
• Myth #5: Natural or herbal weight loss products are safe and effective. Fact: A weight loss product that claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are safe or that they work.
• Myth #6: “I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.” Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
• Myth #7: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight. Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.

 Exercise Exercise Exercise!

• Make sure exercise remains a priority in your life. Exercise can be a great stress reliever
• Schedule a brisk walk or hike after a holiday party or meal. Five minutes of exercise is better than 20 minutes of nothing.
• Ideally you want to exercise twice the amount of calories eaten to ensure consistent weightloss but try to just be consistent with your exercise to begin with.
• Just keep going! By Christmas, most of the plans to eat less and exercise more have dwindled, and it’s easy to gain a significant amount of weight. One way to monitor your intake over time: Keep track of your daily habits and set weekly goals around food intake and exercise.
• Buddy up – To avoid gaining weight, you need commitment and awareness. It’s best to do this with a someone you can call upon to talk about eating concerns and be accountable to for your eating habits and exercise