The next month and a half are the most dreaded time of year for those that are looking to lose weight.  No matter where you look, food is going to be available.  To complicate this further, most of that food isn’t going to be the type that your nutritionist would recommend consuming large amounts of.  This isn’t the only problem with this time of the year though.  There are a lot of factors that actually enable you to eat more during this time.  When the alcohol starts flowing and your family keeps bugging you to eat more, it is hard to say no, and can take you down a difficult path.

There are ways that you can avoid being put into this situation though.  With a little self-control and a lot of planning, you can make it through the holiday season in the same shape you are currently in.  To do this, follow these guidelines:

1.        If you are going to eat a big meal, be sure to get a workout in.  Eating a big meal or two during the holidays is expected.  It isn’t even that bad, as long as you take some precautions.  Studies have shown that working out can actually help decrease appetite.  This goes against the reasoning/excuse that most people use (that working out increases the amount you will eat).  Getting a workout before your large meal will also burn calories.  Obviously more calories burned and less taken in, is good news for your waistline.

2.       Limit your days of overeating.  Like I said, it is a given that you will over-consume at some point during the holidays.  This is ok IF you limit yourself to doing it once or twice.  Don’t let yourself get carried away at every party you go to though.  This can lead to terrible consequences.  Set a limit and stick to it.  It is a bad idea to say “I’ve already messed my diet up this bad, I might as well eat as much as I want and enjoy it.”

3.       Keep as normal of an eating routine as you can throughout the holidays.  Many people change the amount of food they eat, types of foods they eat, times they eat, etc…  By keeping your eating patterns as consistent as you expect yourself to the rest of the year, you greatly decrease the risk that you will stray very far from your normal diet.  Routines in this case are good.

4.       If you can make/consume a healthier variety of food/drink, do so.  Low fat egg nog, light beer, turkey that isn’t fried, and many other modifications can be made without too much damage to taste.  These small modifications can save you big when you step on the scale though.  Nobody expects you to say no to all of the indulgences, just make better decisions when you say yes.

5.       Eat before you party.  If you eat a healthy snack or small meal before going to your party, you will be less likely to indulge when you get there.  This is a trick that has been around for a long time, and is still very effective.  Filling up on healthy foods will increase your nutrition, while limiting the number of calories you get from bad foods.  This DOES NOT give you permission to eat as much junk as you possibly can though.  You should still follow your normal guidelines as close as possible.

The holidays can be a lot of fun, or they can be something to dread.  If you follow these simple guidelines, you will put yourself in a position to enjoy the holidays without putting stress on yourself for bad choices.

Have a happy, safe holiday season.

If you have questions, or would like to discuss this further, please contact me at:

Jeffrey L. Cumro, Doctor of Chiropractic, Certified Personal Trainer
Better Life Chiropractic and Wellness, LLC
          Better Care > Better Health > Better Life
402-210-1472
BetterLifeNE@gmail.com
www.BetterLifeNE.com