Fight Holiday Weight Gain
A recent study by National Institute of Health shows that
most Americans only gain 2 pounds at the most during the six-week period
between Thanksgiving and New Years Day. The problem is that most of us
do not lose that extra pound or two in the year that follows. The
added stress of holiday travel, shopping, end of school year projects, and
other factors can also cause weight gain. However, the medical
researchers concluded that the two main factors that influence weight gain
are hunger and activity level.
So what can you do to help yourself maintain or even lose
weight over the holiday season? If you are really motivated to lose
weight over the holidays, the following tips may help you to not only lose
weight over the holidays, but throughout the year. Maybe by the 2007
Holiday Season you will be fifty or more pounds lighter and highly active
with a fitness program.
1. Drink Water - Water is naturally going to help
you not eat as much if you drink a large 15-20 minutes prior to having a
large Christmas Dinner. Plus water will keep you hydrated and help you
burn fat more efficiently.
2. Eat Slowly - Eat very S-L-O-W-L-Y and enjoy the
flavors. Try to chew your food at least 30-40 times per mouthful. It
works and will allow the "hungry - full" response from your brain to tell
you are satisfied. It takes the brain about 20 minutes to let you know
you are full.
3. Do not skip meals prior to the Big Meal.
Skipping breakfast to eat a huge lunch plays on one-two punch on your
metabolism. Skipping a meal will keep your metabolism low and eating
until you are rolling away from the dinner table will definitely make you
feel like sleeping in front of the television. This is prime weight
gain time for your body.
4. Workout in the morning - To avoid that slower
metabolism during the holidays, I have developed an annual habit of a harder
than average workout on the big eating days of the holidays.
Typically, go for a 45-60 minute walk or jog or bike to get the metabolism
going in the morning. For added caloric burn, add in some weight
training or calisthenics for 20-30 minutes like the following routine:
*Repeat five times
Warmup with crunches
Run/PT
Run 5:00
Pushups - 10-20
Crunches - 20
Pushups - max in 1:00 - 2:00 (Do knee pushups if you have to)
Rest 2:00
Situps - max in 1:00 - 2:00 (or crunches)
Rest 2:00
Pullups - max (if possible)
DBs and (Heavy, lightweight like 20#,15#,or 10# DBs for 10, 15 reps)
Biceps curls -10, 15
Military - 10, 15
Hammer curl-10, 15
Tricep ext -10, 15
Typical Cardio/PT Option
Warmup 5:00 walk / jog / stretch
(see
Stretching Article)
Walk, Run, bike, swim or elliptical glide 30:00
*If you area beginner, it is best to just start a walking program. Any
NEW activity will be harder than normal for you, so do not over do it.
See free Beginner Plan at
www.stewsmith.com/45dayplan.pdf - it will help you build good habits
through the Holidays
A family or neighborhood basketball game or tough football game is always a
good way to work off the Holiday meals too.
5. Eat nothing after 8:00 pm - Try to eat dinner
before 7:00 pm and not snack after 8:00 pm (unless you are on night shift or
plan on being awake for six more hours). Many of us eat because it is
"time" to eat. In other words, we eat out of habit, not because we need to
eat. Eat snacks whenever you "need" to - snacks like fruit, vegetables,
yogurt or a tuna sandwich are great mid-day snacks that will help your body
stay in fat-burning mode. So, don't go more than five hours during the day
without eating. It causes you to eat more at mealtime and decreases your
metabolism.
6. Brush your teeth after meals - Right after eating
a meal, especially dinner, go straight to the bathroom to brush, floss, and
mouthwash so that your mouth is feeling nice and clean - this makes it less
appealing to eat more (especially before bedtime). Ever try to eat or
drink something after brushing your teeth? Not tasty!
7. Confuse hunger with thirst - Chew sugarless gum
and/or drink water. Most people confuse hunger with dehydration. Drinking a
glass of water will usually take care of the food yearning. This is not
skipping a meal - just a way to work through temptation. An optimal level of
water per day as stated by the National Institute of Health is ½ to 1 gallon
a day. Add one extra glass (8 oz.) of water per every 10 pounds overweight
too!
Good luck with the holiday season. Try to work off
many of the stressors by giving yourself a present of 30 minutes to exercise
or walk. You will feel better for it.
