Holidays and treats go hand in hand as family and friends gather to celebrate at dinners, parties, and the many events that mark the special season. Unfortunately, this is the time of year when holiday feasting is fast and furious, kicking off with Halloween candy, then on to Thanksgiving pies, and ending with Christmas cookies and New Year’s cakes. To help you stay one step ahead of your weight this holiday season, there are a few great hacks that leave you with only great memories and not holiday pounds.
At Lafferty Family Care, Dr. Scott Lafferty and our team understand the tempting culinary landscape that appears during this time of year, but we also understand the health consequences of gaining weight, which is why we offer comprehensive weight loss services. We also believe that the easiest weight to deal with is the weight you don’t put on.
To that end, here are a few tips you can deploy over the next couple of months to keep your waistline from expanding.
Every year, millions of people in the United States resolve to lose weight in the coming year. But this resolution often backfires as it gives people permission to pack on the pounds during the holidays, because they feel they’ll tackle the issue in the new year.
If you really want to lose weight in the new year, why not give yourself an incredible head start by getting through the holiday season without gaining weight — and maybe even try to lose a few pounds? By simply moving up the timeline on your goals, you can make your resolution a lot easier to attain.
One of the best ways to avoid holiday weight gain is to start the day off with a little bit of exercise and a healthy breakfast. It doesn’t have to be much — perhaps some yoga or a nice walk or jog around the neighborhood, followed by a bowl of fruit and yogurt or some oatmeal. Not only does this routine jumpstart your metabolism, it keeps you moving throughout the day and reduces your cravings for sugary or salty snacks when you hit the evening parties.
It’s easy to get caught up at a buffet table laden with treats you don’t normally see throughout the year. By all means, enjoy these tasty delights, but grab a small plate and only put a smidgen of the foods you want to sample onto it. If you pile up your plate, you’ll likely eat what’s on it. By limiting the amount you can fit on a small plate, you’d be surprised at how much less you eat.
If you find yourself not eating in anticipation of a party later that day, that’s a recipe for overeating. Try not to go to a holiday party with an empty stomach that’s grumbling for food. Instead, have some fruit or veggies before you go, or a handful of nuts, which is a perfectly healthy snack that promptly takes the edge off your hunger.
You pat yourself on the back having avoided the gooey cheese dip in favor of the sliced carrots and celery with dip, and that is the better choice. But that creamy dip that comes with the healthy vegetables isn’t doing you any favors either. Many holiday dips are packed with fat and dipping a vegetable into it won’t offset the weight-gaining effect.
While it’s best to avoid many of the sugary sweets that are part and parcel of holiday feasts, you shouldn’t deny yourself altogether. Go ahead and have a small slice of pecan pie or one or two Christmas cookies — but eat them slowly and savor them. And if there are several cookies you want to try, eat only half of each, slowly. You’ll still get to taste the fine fare without overeating.
If, despite your best efforts, you still gain a little weight over the holidays, let’s get you back on track in the new year. We offer a number of tools that can help, including weight loss programs and SculpSureⓇ. Just contact us at 479-464-0400 or schedule an appointment using our online scheduling tool.
