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For
those watching their waistlines, the holiday season can be a truly stressful
time. However, there's some good news—most people don't gain as much during
that time as they might think. But, the bad news is that the weight gained
during the festive season turns into an unwanted gift that can't be
returned.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and the Medical
University of South Carolina studied 195 people and found that nearly a year
later 85 percent of the participants still had not lost that extra weight.
That means that even if you only gain two pounds during the holidays, that
if you consistently do that year after year you'll be 10 pounds heavier in
just five years! The study also found that overweight and obese participants
gained the most weight during the holiday study compared to others.
Don't worry, it's not necessary to hibernate during the festivities in order
to avoid packing on the pounds. There are reasonable ways to alter your
behavior so that you can still enjoy yourself without becoming an unofficial
member of the holiday weight gainers club.
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Strive for five-a-day. Ensure that you eat five or more servings of fruits
and vegetables a day. They contain fewer calories then most other foods and
far more nutrients. Plus, since they often are high in fiber they help make
you fill full. So, promise yourself that before you'll indulge in any
holiday "goodies" you'll first eat your five-a-day.
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Allow indulgences but limit them. Preferably, permit yourself to have one
cookie or one piece of cake per day. But, no more than that. That doesn't
mean you have to have a goodie every day and it also doesn't give you free
reign to eat two servings one day because you didn't eat any the day before.
Stick to your limits. And, remember that even just one indulgence a day may
require you to reduce your calorie intake somewhere else or burn extra
calories.
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Give yourself an early gift. Make it a priority to do some type of physical
activity every day, no matter how short. Exercise is a major factor in both
preventing weight gain and losing weight. Schedule your exercise times on
your calendar and don't let anything brush them aside. Taking care of
yourself is the best gift you can give.
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Spend less time in the kitchen. Cooking and baking for the holidays is a
very enjoyable experience for many but is it really necessary to bake dozens
of the most high calorie deserts? Try finding some baking and cooking
alternatives that still allow for the fun of kitchen time with family and
friends but are more nutritious.
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Keep it in perspective. Overeating at one meal is not going to be the cause
of a permanent weight gain. But, if you use that as an excuse "I've already
sabotaged my day anyway.", then it could lead to a snowball effect. Don't
allow it to stop you from exercising that day or the next or give you an
excuse to overeat all day long.
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Don't over extend yourself. It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. You
may have offers for business parties, family gatherings, neighborhood
socializing, school functions, etc. It's okay to say no to some of them. If
you commit to too many events, it's easy to get stressed. And, stress often
leads to bad food choices and abandonment of workouts. Not to mention that
some research has indicated that some stress can actually cause weight gain.
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Go
to the back of the line. When at a party with a buffet, allow others to hit
the food table first. It's likely that many of the most enticing (and
calorie heavy) foods may be gone before you get your plate, thus eliminating
some of your temptations.
Lynn Bode is a certified
personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. She
founded Workouts For
You, which provides affordable online exercise programs that are custom
designed for each individual.
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