Beat the Bulge Before, During & After the Holidays

The holidays are nearly upon us, and the New England Journal of Medicine reports:

- The average American gains at least five (5) pounds during the 6-week holiday period

- The weight gained during this 6-week holiday period accounts for most of the weight gained over the year

- The more overweight a person is at the beginning of the holidays, the more likely they are to gain five (5) or more pounds during the holiday season

So, what's the good news?

Well, for starters, if you're reading this right now, it means you're still alive and kickin'! How high or strong you continue to kick is predominantly up to you.

What I'm offering are 4 Simple Strategies to Beat the Holiday Bulge - Before, During & After the Holidays -- without spoiling any of the festivities.

This discussion is to PREpare you for the upcoming holiday season with fun, easy, and immediately applicable ways to enjoy yourself, your family and friends.

I've outlined the 3 holiday phases (Before, During, & After) with 4 simple suggestions to follow during each phase. Enjoy.


BEFORE:

1. Give it Up!
Holidays are no time to diet. Why spoil the festivities by feeling guilty about indulging in special foods during special times? You will likely feel frustrated and deprived when you force yourself to say "no", or guilty when you decide to indulge.

Rather than trying to lose weight, try to prevent weight gain!


2. Focus on the Positive:
Remind yourself how good it will be to visit with family and friends, along with the traditional goodies associated with each person/event.

Be Selective & Sensible! Develop a holiday eating plan that includes the foods you rarely have, or are only available during the holidays.


3. Be Reasonable:
Avoid drastic measures such as fasting or severely restricting calorie intake prior to the holidays.

This only slows your metabolism down, which means tougher weight loss afterwards.

Also, by depriving yourself of meals or completely avoiding sweets only sets you up to OVEReat later!


4. Be Upfront with Family & Friends:
Share your holiday plan, lifestyle goals, etc.

If YOU are serious and committed you may be surprised how much they respect your dedication and provide the extra support you need to stay on course.

They may even want to join you!

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DURING:

1. Spoil Your Dinner:
Just like you should never go shopping on an empty stomach, having a light, healthy snack prior to the event will help eliminate the urge to eat everything in sight!

Also, drinking a glass of water 15-20 minutes before a meal can also "fill your tank" and reduce the urge to overeat.


2. Alcohol Awareness:
Drinking tends to increase during the holidays. Drink in moderation. Choose wine over beer, and/or distilled liquors such as vodka or scotch.

Beer has a high sugar index and literally goes straight to your middle. Also, red wine is lower in sugar than white wine.

It SHOULD go without saying, but be an adult when it comes to sensible alcohol consumption. Enjoy yourself, RESPONSIBLY!


3. Become a Palm Reader:
To avoid portion distortion, simply use the palm of your hand or clenched fist to determine appropriate food servings.

Also, avoid piling/drowning foods in rich gravies or cream sauces!


4. Stay Vertical:
One of the most common holiday post-meal sights is a string of unconscious bodies, attempting/hoping to recover from the holiday gluttony.

Resist the temptation to slouch into the nearest Lay-Z-Boy, or get horizontal on the couch, floor - especially by the fireplace!

Instead, get out and enjoy the nice, crisp autumn air on a leisurely walk and catch up with a family member or friend while burning a few calories

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AFTER:

1. Don't Be a Bully!
Give yourself a few days to let everything settle down before you assess the damage. After all, you didn't gain 100 pounds, did you?

Give yourself a break and reflect back on all the people/things for which you're grateful!

Feeling bloated? No problem, just drink more water - it'll be gone in a day or two.


2. Back to Reality:
It's time to get back to a sensible, healthy, balanced eating plan. Develop a realistic nutritional plan to offset the "damage".

If you're trying to shed some unwanted weight, aim for a daily reduction of 500 calories through a combination of decreased calories and increased activity. (200 diet/300activity or 300diet/200activity)


3. Consistent Cardio:
The quickest way to reduce body SIZE.
Do intervals and cross-training:
30 minutes / 4-5 times per week


4. Regular Resistance:
The only way to change your SHAPE.
Perform total-body, upper/lower combo workouts and circuit training. 2-4 times per week: 30-60 minutes/max