Ten Tips To Help You Holiday-Proof Your Waistline

We love to eat during the holidays. We also tend to obsess about the pounds we’re packing on.  Are those fears legitimate?  The answer is yes, but not in the way we initially thought.  A study conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), showed that the average amount of weight gained during the holidays by their 195 adult participants was just one pound.  While that may initially seem like great news to most Americans, it’s not.  Instead of losing that pound, it sticks with us, and accumulates over a lifetime.  If we’re already overweight, we tend to gain more than the one pound, increasing our chances of becoming obese and putting ourselves at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes and other serious health problems.

It doesn’t have to be this way.  By following some simple, common-sense tips, it’s possible to eat and enjoy the holidays without gaining unwanted pounds.

Here are ten tips to keep in mind as you celebrate this year with friends and family:

1. The Secret to Losing Weight is Eating. Don’t skip meals. This backfires because you come to the next meal over-hungry and eat even more. Try to eat a small meal, or what I refer to as a “Sneal” (visit DrPowellWeightLoss.com for Sneal info) every 2-3 hours to keep your digestive system constantly working.
2. Celebrate holiDAYS. Remember it is a holiDAY, not a holiWEEK, not a holiMONTH.  Only allow yourself the actual holiday to splurge if you want, but keep to your plan the rest of the season.
3. Plan for Parties.  Before a holiday party, decide how much you are going to allow yourself to eat, remind yourself of your weight goal, and eat a healthy snack before you go.
4. Fill up on Water. At a party, drink lots of water to help fill you up.
5. Protein, Vegetables, Dessert.   A good buffet strategy is to get a small plate, fill it with protein first and eat that. Then go back for vegetables. Save desserts for last when you’ll be less hungry.
6. Have a Strategy for Stress. If the Holidays are stressful for you, have a healthy plan in place to deal with your emotions and stress instead of turning to food. Try to find a healthy activity that you can turn to when you feel stressed.
7. Always Use a Plate. Even for the smallest snack, put your food on a plate and sit down to eat. It will help you avoid grazing.
8. Be Careful About Treat Purchases. Don’t buy goodies too far ahead of an event or you may be tempted to eat them. Storing them out of sight to help save them for the event instead of becoming a snack.
9. Eat Protein Before Drinking. Alcohol on an empty stomach will make your blood sugar drop and your body will want to EAT.  Be sure to eat some protein prior to drinking; it is best to never drink on an empty stomach.
10. Add Minutes Between Seconds. Try to wait at least 15-20 minutes between each trip to the buffet. This will help your body get to the point of feeling full before you overeat.

For more tips like the ones above, visit http://www.DrPowellWeightLoss.com and read my free Holiday Survival Plan.  You CAN celebrate this season and still avoid gaining weight!