Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Getting Through the Holidays Without Gaining Weight

Getting Through the Holidays Without Gaining Weight

Now that the holiday season is here, holiday foods and meals take center stage. And this is as it should be. Food is a terrific celebration of friendships, of family and of love. These celebrations do not have to lead you to unhealthy eating habits. With a little advance planning, you can really enjoy your food and the holidays. Remember that the mental attitude you bring to the table is as important as what's on the table.

1. Plan Ahead. Without thinking about what is likely to be served, the best intentions fall by the wayside faster than you can shake a drumstick. If you absolutely cannot pass up the cornbread or cinnamon buns warm from the oven or Aunt Fay's amazing apple cake, then you need to decide what and how much you will eat so someone does not have to roll you out. If you're going to eat the apple cake that's fine, but remember to eat fewer quiche and pastry puff appetizers when you arrive and to pace yourself throughout the meal.

2. Strategize. So if you're not eating puff pastry appetizers, what are you going to eat? If you're going to someone's house for the holidays or if it's in your home, serve something that is good to eat like a salad, lots of vegetables and maybe shrimp cocktails and take larger portions of those and smaller portions of the rest of the meal. Eat your vegetables first. They'll fill you up, leaving less room for the more calorie-packed stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie.

3. Relationships first, food second. Yes, the holidays have wonderful foods ? everywhere. But the reason you're gathered together with relatives and friends, rather than eating alone is to be in contact with people. Focus on the people and what you're doing instead of strategizing how to get those last potato puffs before Aunt Harriet does. Let Aunt Harriet have it. Besides, if her mouth is full, it will keep her from gossiping and give you the opportunity to connect with people you care about.

4. Eat small meals throughout the day. Do not make the mistake many people do of eating virtually nothing during the day to "save" extra calories for the big meal. You'll end up hungry and eat things you don't particularly like. Eat high-fiber mini meals for breakfast and lunch with snack (think whole fruit) in between to prevent an all-out binge.

5. Slow down. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register fullness. Put down your fork and talk to your neighbor.

6. Water, Water, Water. We often eat, when we are really thirsty. Drink water before, during and after the meal so you are well hydrated.

7. "Let's toast the Holidays!" Although it is important to drink liquids, alcohol dehydrates you, acts as an aperitif and loosens your resolve to eat healthfully. Calories really add up ? and not just from the alcohol. Studies show that when we drink, we eat almost 20% more than our teetotaling friends. For an easy option, consider a wine spritzer or save the first toast for when the turkey is served, and sip four ounces instead of the usual eight.

8. Go for a walk. Instead of watching football on the couch all afternoon ? eating the chips and dips during time outs ? why don't you gather everyone for a long walk? Taking a 45-minute walk could use up almost 250 calories. This is a wonderful holiday tradition you could start. If nothing else, you're not home eating the leftovers.

9. Talk kindly to yourself. Banish the mantra, "I always gain weight over the holidays." Instead say to yourself, "I am giving myself the gift of health. I can eat and enjoy any food I want in moderation." Or as diet Dr. Gullo says, "Thin tastes better."

10. Enjoy the season of celebration. Remember the holidays are about coming from a place of gratitude. Now especially this year, we have a lot to be grateful for. Treat yourself well with friends, with loved ones and yes, with foods.

Helene Haber, HHC is a board certified health counselor who specializes in nutrition and whole health. She designs personalized wellness solutions for women of all ages looking to enhance their lives, get their bodies back in shape and their health back on track. I invite you to contact me at topcathelene@aol.com.

custom home cleaning Wilmette ..

In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

Getting Through the Holidays Without Gaining Weight

Weight Loss