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