Enjoy holiday festivities without gaining weight

Part of the fun of the holiday season is enjoying food and drinks that you typically only indulge once a year, such as sweet potatoes with marshmallows, lobster bisque, fudge, champagne, and eggnog. It’s no wonder that the six-week period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is responsible for a lot of the weight problems Americans experience.

According to a National Institutes of Health study, Americans gain about one pound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. About 10 percent of adults gain five pounds or more over the holidays.

While one pound is not alarming, the problem is that we tend not to lose the holiday weight gain. National Institutes of Health researchers found that almost all of the weight people gained over the course of a year can be explained by the pounds they add over the holiday period. Adults’ weight tends to steadily and slowly creep up as we age. Annual holiday weight gain may explain much of that gradual increase between the ages of 30 and 60.

Tips to keep off holiday pounds

• Eat holiday meals at normal meal times. Eating at a regular meal time tends to help people eat a “normal” amount compared to an unusual meal time when they may be more likely to overeat.
• Watch what you drink. A 12-ounce can of soda can have more than 150 calories. A 16-ounce glass of punch or lemonade can have more than 200 calories.
• Don’t overdo alcohol intake. Alcohol can be a major source of hidden calories as well. A single shot of liquor, about 2 ounces, has nearly 125 calories. A 5-ounce glass of wine or a 12-ounce glass of beer has about 160. Sweet, mixed drinks have even more calories.
• Start a meal with soup or salad. These higher energy-density foods will help you feel fuller sooner.
• Before going back for seconds, wait 20 minutes. It takes that long for your stomach to tell your brain that you’re full. You’ll probably find you’re no longer hungry.
• For dessert, try angel food cake, ginger bread or fruit as lower-calorie alternatives.
• Don’t go to a party hungry. Take the edge off your hunger by eating a healthy snack beforehand so you won’t overeat.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, including a glass before a party. It helps fill you up and offsets dehydrating drinks, like alcohol.
• Eat only your absolute favorite one or two items, or choose special desserts that are not available at other times of the year.
• Prepare some simple foods, such as green beans sautéed with almonds instead of green bean casserole.
• Plan holiday celebrations around activities, such as a walk after dinner, sledding, or ice skating. A walk soon after a meal can help your body manage insulin better.
• Help others. Rethink the food gifts you give and limit the holiday goodies you bring into the office.

It’s not hard to put on a pound. Someone who eats just an extra 4,050 calories or so over the course of a year will gain a pound, according to one analysis. A typical Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner alone can consist of 2,000 calories. That’s an entire day’s worth of calories for most men and women!

People who are already overweight tend to struggle even more. A 2014 study found that people who were already overweight and obese gained more weight over the holidays than people at a healthier weight. The percentage of body fat and even blood pressure also tends to rise during the holiday period, according to a 2013 study.

And adults aren’t the only people impacted by holiday festivities. A study published in 2010 found children gained an average of 1.2 pounds. over the holiday period. Research in college students found no increase in weight. However, the students did show an increase in body fat over the course of the holiday season.

So, how do you end up on January 1 with the same weight you had in mid-November? There are many tried-and-true strategies for avoiding that extra pound or two. Overall, researchers say, there are two main factors that influence weight gain: level of hunger and level of activity. You need to address both, and that requires some planning and commitment.

One study from the Lean Plate Club, published in theJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, suggests the “first secret” to avoid holiday weight gain is to measure and track what you eat. People who have lost weight and strive to maintain their weight loss typically track what they eat. That’s easy, nowadays, with apps that allow you to count calories and fat.

Lean Plate Club experts also advocate devoting a few more minutes to your daily exercise regimen over the holiday period to erase the extra calories you take in. NIH researchers have found that people who are more active maintained their weight or even lost weight over the holidays.

To avoid hunger that drives you to overeat, plan ahead. Eat carefully at home to offset the big New Year’s Eve party or the sugar cookies and peanut brittle that appears in the office. Don’t deprive yourself of favorite foods, but eat smaller portions. Don’t skip meals; skipping meals lowers blood sugar levels and causes you to overeat later in the day.

In addition, experts advise that you be aware of the role stress plays in overeating. Eating foods high in sugar and fat releases endorphins in the brain, giving a temporary feeling of happiness and wellbeing. But that temporary surge won’t last, and you may end up feeling tired and craving more sugar and fat. Healthy eating is the best way to withstand stress. Most of your meals throughout the holiday period should be well-rounded and consist of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, and lean meats.

As a licensed agent with HealthMarkets, I (Robert Morgen) am sharing this article from our HealthMarkets corporate website with my LinkedIn community. I serve the greater Las Vegas area as a Health Benefits Advisor. To view the original article, click here.