How to enjoy the holidays without gaining the weight?
The most wonderful time of the year for most every reason, except my waist line. How can I enjoy this season without packing on the holiday pounds? What is a good plan I can stick to?
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Answers ( 2 )
If you are going to actually enjoy the holiday season without gaining weight, you're going to have to enact strict portion control.
Strict: Every food, every bite, every time. One cookie- even better, half a cookie. Small slice of turkey, small spoon of stuffing, equally small spoon of potatoes, drizzle of gravy- mind the portions.
Portion: There are lots of websites that describe how much a portion of any one food is; here's one: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000337.htm But, given that there are so very, very many yummy holiday foods, it might be smart to cut even usual portions (like that cookie, above) in half, so you can then have a half of some other food you also want to try....
Control: You have to have control. You can slip once, but if you do, you will again, and sooner rather than later, you will have no control whatsoever. Another little tip: If you think following some fad tip like: Vegetables don't count! Eat all you want! you will soon find the scale's needle moving up because those vegetables may be good for you, may add fiber and many necessary nutrients, but they also have calories. If you add those extra vegetables' calories to your portion control of all those myriad holiday foods with all those calories, well, it'll be waaaaay too many calories and you'll be swearing to diet again starting January 1st. You are in control, so be in control.
Strict portion control. .You can do it. A bit, a bite, a sip- but not a whole, a lot or a gulp- control by tasting rather than stuffing. And remember: You are the one in control.
A little indulgence on occasion cannot hurt. You can allow yourself to enjoy the time, but prepare for it, and prepare to go back to a normal routine afterward. Just don't overdo it - a little bit indulging here and there is not going to mean a permanent weight gain if you go back to a normal routine afterwards.