Thursday, February 21, 2008

Key Strategies to Help Avoid Weight Gain over the Holidays

Are you one of the average Americans that experiences a holiday weight gain of 7 pounds between the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays, and then goes on to attempt to lose as much of the excess as possible over the next several weeks? Usually, the weight is not all lost and then the cycle is repeated the next year and so on until a significant overall weight gain has occurred. It is certainly better during the holidays to not put the weight on in the first place, rather than fight an uphill battle to repair damage done during such a short period of time year after year.

It is absolutely possible to avoid weight gain during the holidays, but it definitely takes a focused approach and some discipline. This includes both holiday exercise and food intake plans, and the need for exercise during the holidays is critical to keeping the weight off. Here are some basic strategies to keeping excess weight off the body during those festive holiday months.

Let's combine some initial ideas here into some food intake strategies that can help you feel full and avoid the temptation to overeat. They include, getting plenty of water intake and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Water is the most important nutrient in the body, and being well hydrated year round is certainly important, as the body burns more fat when it is well hydrated. Water also helps keep the stomach felling full and naturally suppresses the appetite as a result. Cold water requires the body to warm it up, which naturally raises the metabolism slightly.

The same benefits apply to taking in a lot of fruits and veggies, which usually are a part of the party scene on a tray somewhere along with dips and a lot of other tempting finger foods nearby. Fruits and veggies have a lot of fiber and are naturally low in calories, especially vegetables, so the feeling of being full is so effective at curbing the appetite away from the really potentially damaging foods that can easily be overeaten if care is not taken.

The next very important thing that is a strategy is to make sure that you eat 5 small meals a day during the holidays. This keep you from going to a party starving and eaeting far too much of rich foods until you are full. If less than 5 small meals a day are eaten, the metabolism tends to slow, and the appetite once you get to a party tends to be at its highest. This is a recipe for an overeating disaster. Low metabolism from skipping meals plus overeating rich foods because you are hungry from not eating equals a lot of weight gain. If you eat frequently during the day, your appetite will be lower and easier to control and your metabolism will be at its highest, the perfect solution for not gaining weight. This also allows you to feel more satisfied on only one dessert serving, instead of the huge variety that usually populate the trays of holiday parties and tables everywhere.

Alcohol consumption is a huge potential contributor to weight gain because of the large number of calories present in alcoholic drinks. These calories are stored immediately as fat and need to be burned off later by the body, so it is vital to drink alcohol in moderation.

And finally, the exercise component: getting regular cardio and strength training in provides the benefit it always has: keeping our metabolism active and burning fat like a well oiled machine.

All these things add up to keeping your body at its leanest during the holidays, and are strategies that would be effective no matter the fitness level or age. Have fun and stay lean this holiday season.


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