The holidays is a time to celebrate, relax, and spend time with family. But for many people, it’s, unfortunately, also a time to gain weight. Most of us indulge in overeating as if we have not eaten in entire an week.
Going into the holidays with a plan is a way to avoid putting on extra pounds. Marilyn Gordon, registered dietician, nutritionist, and certified specialist in sports dietetics at NSU, offered some tips to help holiday-goers lay out a plan and stay focused on finishing the year strong.
Gordon said that we first have to ask ourselves how our holiday celebrations will be: Is it only going to be one day of heavy eating or is it going to be a week? It is important to know that one day of overeating will impact your body, and doing it multiple times can result in gaining weight.
If you know that you are going to overeat for multiple days, Gordon said, “It is not so much about what we eat, but about what we are doing the next day to get rid of those calories. Are we just laying around and eating more, or are we actually going for a 40 minute walk? This is when we make the difference between maintaining our weight or putting on extra pounds.”
If you’re trying to lose weight during the holidays, it does not mean you have to become a party pooper. It just means that you have to know how to make better decisions when it comes to eating during the day and to make sure not to arrive at a holiday party on an empty stomach. Being in starvation mode can cause you to overeat and make the wrong choices when deciding between different foods. Make sure to eat yogurt, fruits, and salad throughout the whole day. When arriving at the party, make sure not to grab the largest plate or bowl. Instead, take a small plate and fill it up with small amounts of each food you’d like to try.
Also, we tend to overeat by consuming food at a fast pace. This does not give the stomach enough time to process all the food and send out signals to the brain of being full. So, relaxing and enjoying your food slowly can not only allow you to enjoy your food for longer, but can actually help manage your weight.
When it comes to desserts, it is essential to know that you can satisfy any craving with three bites. Gordon calls this the three bite rule.
“When picking out cake, take the first bite, eat it slowly and then think: is it the best cake you have ever had? Is it worth it to eat it all? If it is very good, then have a second bite and enjoy it. By the time you get to the third bite, you are going to be thinking that you have had enough and it is not worth it to put in all those calories. If you think this is the best dessert ever, then eat it all, but do not forget the next day to add extra minutes to your cardio routine,” said Gordon.
If you don’t have a regular exercise routine, try taking a 30-minute walk in the morning before leaving home.
Marcela Sandigo, associate director of campus recreation said, “People do not make it a priority to exercise. They get busy during the day and forget to find time to do it. In the morning, before your brain even starts processing on what you have to do, take a morning stroll.”
Also, interval exercises are the fastest way to burn calories. If you cannot leave the house due to other obligations, an easy, effective exercise method is to fill up two water bottles and thrust them back and forth, like a boxer. Sandigo also suggested doing jumping jacks and jumping squats, while holding the water bottles.
The recreational complex at the Don Taft University Center offers a variety of classes that will speed up your heart rate and help you to burn calories at a faster rate. For a detailed schedule of all the classes offered, visit www.rec.nova.edu/fitness.
