A New England Journal of Medicine study reports that, contrary to popular belief, the average American gains a modest 1-2 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the good news has a catch — most people don’t end up shedding that extra weight.
Author C.S. Lewis warned that the road to ruin is “the gradual one — the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” While maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a year-round effort, these tips will help you stay off the slippery slope of overindulgence and holiday weight gain.
Don’t wait until New Year’s Day to start exercising. Regular physical activity pays off during the holiday season. Studies show that exercise can:
- Increase your body’s ability to burn calories — even in a resting state
- Lower the hormone ghrelin, an appetite stimulant
- Increase peptide YY, an appetite suppressant
- Deplete glycogen in the liver and muscles, giving high glycemic carbs in holiday sweets somewhere to go other than your waistline
- Stimulate the release of endorphins and neurotransmitters, resulting in increased feelings of well-being, decreased anxiety and less propensity for depression.
Though many experts claim that a healthy physique has stronger ties to diet than fitness, a gym or neighborhood running trail might be your best friend when culinary temptations loom. Are you putting off regular exercise until after the holidays because of hectic scheduling or lack of motivation?
“Stop it!” says author and clinical psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo.
“Be honest with yourself; these are excuses. Sure, it might be nice to ‘be in the mood,’ but waiting for that to happen can mean you never start your project.”
Know thyself.
A one-size-fits-all approach to holiday discipline doesn’t work. Enjoy the season responsibly by making smart adjustments that account for your personal strengths and weaknesses.
For example, if you are baking cookies and have the fortitude to limit your indulgence to a few samplings, the experience might be a relaxing break from the holiday grind. However, if more cookies are making their way into your mouth than the cookie tin, consider turning the bake-fest into a family project or invite friends over to keep you company and hold you accountable.
If moderate indulgence is on the radar for the company Christmas party, go ahead and enjoy yourself. Compensate by substituting water for alcohol or soft drinks and schedule gym time around the event.
Is hitting the treadmill your thing? Use the settings on the dashboard to see how much effort it takes to burn off 130 calories — the price for two chocolate chip cookies. Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, a psychology professor at the University of California — Berkeley, says counting calories “constantly reminds you of your weight-loss goal, and it changes the mental representation of that not-so-great-for-you food from ‘yummy’ to ‘caloric bomb for the diet.’”
Cortisol: Return to sender.
The fight-or-flight hormone, cortisol, is released as a response to stress that wreaks havoc on your metabolism, resulting in increased fat storage, muscle wasting and lowered immunity.
Unfortunately, conditions surrounding the holiday season do little to suppress stress hormones. Preoccupation with gift lists, shopping in crowds, driving in heavy traffic, overscheduling and dealing with difficult relatives can actually hinder your ability to metabolize food. To put the clamp on cortisol, remember to get enough sleep, avoid excess caffeine consumption and take time each day to relax, meditate, listen to music or enjoy another activity that settles your mind. Both your immune system and your waistline will thank you.
Go easy on the alcohol.
When you consume alcohol, you’re putting your body’s fat-burning capability on hold until the liver can process the alcohol for energy. Heavy alcohol consumption has been proven to lower inhibitions and increase appetite. One British survey indicates that having too much to drink can cause you to consume up to 6,300 calories in the ensuing 24 hours. Keep alcohol consumption in check and avoid high-calorie choices. A 344-calorie cup of egg nog will take you 90 minutes of brisk walking to get rid of. If you do have too much to drink, scramble a few eggs with broccoli or have a slice of whole wheat bread to speed up recovery the next day.
If you fall off the bus, get back on.
In the sports world, pitching a no-hitter is the exception, not the rule. More often, winning involves dealing with setbacks, capitalizing on opportunities to score and building momentum off of successful play. The same can be said for maintaining a nutritious diet. No single event will make or break you. “If you blew it, regroup and get back on your diet,” Mendoza-Denton says. It’s OK to reward yourself or to trip up a little bit. Just keep in mind that these moments make you vulnerable to outright falling off the diet bus, so make a plan to stay on the bus.”
For a full recovery from nutritional mishap, health experts recommend a calm, prompt return to calorie counts, sensible exercise and consumption of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and lean protein.
To find the solution, remember the problem.
Current research reminds us that the problem with holiday indulgence is not a singular event; it is cumulative net gains over the course of years. The solution lies in moderation during times of temptation, resilience after setbacks and persistence in healthy living beyond the holidays. Stick to your nutrition and fitness goals to enter 2018 with your waist measurements intact.