Healthy For The Holidays: Focus On Weight Maintenance, Not Loss
‘Tis the season to celebrate and that involves family, friends, festivities and – of course – delicious food.
If you’ve embarked on healthy eating habits this past year, this is no time to fall off the wagon. However, the best strategy for healthy eating through the holiday season may be to just focus on maintaining your healthy lifestyle and maintaining your weight.
“The holidays are about enjoying them and it only comes around once a year, and we’re with family and friends, so it’s really not the best time to start a weight loss program,” said Michelle Campion, a registered dietitian with the Washington Health System’s Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center. “But weight maintenance is huge especially before starting. If you’re thinking about starting, you don’t want to gain a lot of weight beforehand.”
In other words, don’t derail your New Year’s weight loss resolution before this year even ends. You can get a jumpstart on that goal by simply maintaining your current weight and not packing on more pounds over the holiday season. Sounds simple, but how can we accomplish that?
We’ve already gotten through Thanksgiving, which is the biggest overindulgence holiday of the year for eating habits. But Thanksgiving is about giving thanks – not just about the food. Even though parties are made extra special with scrumptious food, Campion reminds us to remember the reason for the season and not to put all of the focus on food. Decorating, shopping, listening to Christmas music and just enjoying the time spent with loved ones can help you savor the holidays for more than just huge plates of food.
“It can be all-consuming if we let it, if we turn it into that,” Campion said. “I know from personal experience, when we switched our Christmas from being all about the food and gifts, we keep it simple and enjoy our time together and the reason for the holiday so much more.”
Overindulging on one day may not seem so bad, but temptation lingers when December becomes an entire month of coworkers bringing in cookies and friends hosting holiday parties every weekend. How can we not overeat all month? Campion says don’t think of the holidays as free reign to eat all you want.
“It’s about being a bit more choosey about the things we want to indulge in,” she says. “There are work parties and events and kid’s pageants and most of the time it’s not healthy. If you go to your kid’s event and there is fruit punch and store bought cookies, you can get those anytime.”
Instead, bank your uneaten calories to use on a splurge that you really enjoy. She adds that being mindful is a big part of it and really thinking about what you’re putting in your mouth.
“If your uncle has a party every year and you look forward to that creme brulee he makes, then have that creme brulee. Just have one portion, really savor it and move on.”
The best exercise
Whether it’s just a walk around the house, playing an active game such as charades or simply heading to the gym the very next day, staying active can help counteract eating those extra holiday treats this season.
“When you’re walking around the mall, pick up the pace a little bit and get your heart rate up or walk around the house,” said Michelle Campion, a registered dietitian with the Washington Health System’s Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center.
Leave with leftovers
Why does it always seem that our holiday parties end with more food than when they started? Guest after guest arrives bringing more and more goodies. Campion recommends a simple strategy: “What I think is a good rule of thumb is to make people take home what they brought with them. If it’s a big cake and only one person ate a slice out of it, you don’t want a whole cake sitting there staring you in the face.”
By telling family and friends about your healthy party plan beforehand, it will allow them to possibly bring a healthier dish and plan to take home some leftovers. You can even encourage guests to bring to-go containers with them to pack with leftovers to take home. Campion says her family has pared down how much food they prepare over the years.
Don’t forget the drinks
Finally, don’t forget about the drinks. Liquid libations can be laden with calories, carbs, fat and sugar. From peppermint mocha lattes and snickerdoodle chillers to eggnog and mulled wine, delicious holiday drinks can sabotage your best intentions. Campion recommends limiting your consumption.