Holiday Weight Control

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can becelebration--the company and conversation. If you
a struggle, especially during the holidays. Healthykeep yourself busy chatting with friends, you'll be
diet information is particularly useful at this time ofless likely to invade the snack table.
year.Go Full
If you believe the old stories about much weightYou've likely heard the grocery store trick; don't
people put on during the holidays, you'rego shopping when you're hungry because you'll
right--partially. In a recent study conducted byonly end up buying more. Well, the same can
The National Institute of Health, the researcherswork for holiday parties! Eat a lot of raw
discovered that, in reality, most people tend tovegetables, and other healthy foods that will stick
only put on just slightly under one pound. But awith you during the party and you'll be less
person who is already overweight will average atempted to binge on the bad stuff.
whopping five pounds extra after the last hornsDrink Water
have been blown.If you were to add up the calories that you've
But it's not all good news for even those who putprobably consumed in sodas, fruit punches and
on the minimum because the study also showsalcoholic beverages at parties, you would likely be
that we all tend to keep the pounds put on. Inamazed. You can gulp down hundreds of calories
other words, over ten years, those not-so-muchwithout even realizing it if you're not careful!
pounds, could lead someone to being overweight.Instead of one of these high-calorie drinks, make
So, what can we do in order to keep those extrait a habit to drink water--which in itself will help
pounds off? After all, our homes are usually filledflush out extra water weight.
with holiday pies, cakes and other goodies, andCreate An Eating Schedule
they can be pretty tempting--even for the mostIt wouldn't be fun--or realistic--to try and get
faithful of dieters!through an entire party without at least sampling
Here's a few tips to get you through the holidays.some of the treats. But instead of heading
Just A Nibble!instantly to the food table and loading your
Have you ever noticed that when you startplate--and then suffering the rest of the party
eating a rich dessert it tastes so good, but by thebecause you want more--try spacing out your
last bite, you've had enough? One way to keepsnacks for the entire time of the party. Plan on
the pounds down is just to enjoy a few bitestaking a nibble of something about every thirty
that delicious cheesecake or chocolate fudgeminutes. Not only will it help you eat less, it will be
brownie. No one says that you have toa fun game that you can play with yourself!
completely deprive yourself of holiday treats--justMost importantly, remember that the holidays are
limit how much you eat!meant for enjoyment. Don't be too hard on
Enjoy the Company, Not The Brownies!yourself, and if you make a mistake, talk an
Many people think of holiday parties in terms ofextra long walk to work off those extra calories
the foods that they'll get to eat (or have toinstead of beating yourself up over it!
avoid) instead of the real reason for the