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10 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
An Interview by Fran Mandell, MS with Becky Wilborn, director of The Diet Center
As the Holiday Season nears, with “food pushers” and parties that tempt your senses, Becky Wilborn, and her team of counselors at The Diet Center in NYC, have developed ten tips to help avoid seasonal weight gain, and to help you enjoy the holidays with confidence and true joy!
Plan Ahead
1. Never Go to A Party Hungry! It is more important to consider how much you eat rather than what you eat. Do not go to a party starving. You will devour everything in sight before you realize what you have done. Eat small mini-meals throughout the day so you are not hungry. And, make your party meal a mini meal as well. Look over the buffet before eating, and decide what you “must taste”, then take a spoonful. Eat slowly and savor each delicious bite— even dessert!
2. Distract Your Mouth . “Food pushers” and goodies are everywhere: in the office, your kitchen, gift baskets, parties, and in the media: impossible to escape! Consider re-routing your sweet tooth to sugar-free gum. It is sweet and has no calories. If sweetened with xylitol, it is actually good for your teeth and gums, so indulge. Try taking a travel toothbrush with you to parties,and brush after you eat. This gives the suggestion that “the meal is over”, and food doesn’t taste as good after you brush your teeth. Better yet, carry a travel bottle of mouthwash. Gargle and the desire for the food will be gone.
3. Keep Healthy Snacks Around. At the Diet Center, you can purchase many healthy, low calorie snacks. Add these to apples, low fat cheeses, 10 nuts, cut up veggies and protein bars containing 15 grams of protein. Eat a healthy snack every 3-4 hours. This reduces your cravings and the likelihood that you will lose control when someone offers you a decadent treat.
4. Limit Your Alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories and once you begin drinking, you are more likely to let your guard down and eat more. In one study, people who drank an alcoholic beverage consumed about 200 more calories in the 24 hours afterward than those who drank a juice based beverage. In addition, alcohol inhibits your ability to burn fat for 48 hours by lowering your metabolic rate. Becky urges you to think twice before you imbibe.
5. Hydrate Your Body. Drink water, especially if you are drinking alcohol. One extra glass of water is needed for each glass of wine. Water not only helps you feel full, but it keeps you from becoming dehydrated. Dehydration can be confused with hunger. Plus, water boosts metabolism, helps you to detox and avoid becoming constipated. Plain or sparkling water is a “win/win”! Try drinking sparkling water with a twist or a splash of cranberry juice as a healthy party drink, and as an alternative to alcohol.
6. Eat Your Veggies. Try serving veggies as an appetizer (with a sugar-free, low fat dressing) at your gatherings, or start off with a salad or a half plate of veggies at a party. Keep veggies in ice water in the refrigerator and a container of dressing for dipping. Enjoy Becky’s Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below) and other special recipes available at The Diet Center.
7. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise. Stay committed to your exercise routine. Exercise not only keeps the pounds off, it reduces stress and gives you more energy. If you can’t find time to exercise, walk fast and far. Mentally missing a workout permanently breaks the habit of exercising, so do your best to commit to a routine and stick to it.
8. Wear That Little Black Dress. If you have a “little black dress” or any other outfit that fits perfectly, and looks great, wear it. You’ll receive compliments on how you look and it will encourage you not to over-indulge. And, if you do overeat or drink, the dress will let you know. What better reminder than a zipper that won’t zip?
9. Take Your Emotional Temperature. When you are under stress and very busy, reality often disappears under the weight of it. Don’t allow the weight to show up on your hips by giving in to your inner devil who may say, “One time won’t hurt, it’s the Holidays” or “I ate one cookie, I may as well eat them all”. These faulty thoughts can send you on a downhill fat slide. If you are feeling stressed, find time to relax and unwind doing something that makes you feel good—give yourself a gift of a massage or take a warm aromatherapy bath with lighted candles flickering.
10. The Diet Center “Magic Bullet”. Make a trip to The Diet Center and purchase their “Magic Bullet”. It is a highest potency homeopathic HCG spray. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin hormone) is today’s weight loss rage. You take it when you feel hungry and POOF the hunger disappears. Becky tells me that it really works, and that her clients call it magic. You can spray 2-6 times a day or ½ hour before meals or a party.
HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN MAY LAST A LIFETIME
According to government statistics, more than half of all adult Americans are overweight, as defined by body mass index. Further, the latest national surveys show that 54.9 percent of Americans have a body mass index of 25 or more and are overweight, while 22.3 percent are considered obese, with a body mass index of 30 or more.
In a recent study conducted by the NIH (National Institute of Health), it was concluded that while the amount of weight gained during the holidays will vary from person to person, and is probably less than the popular belief of an added five to ten pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years, it is important to consider that the cumulative effects of yearly weight gain during the Fall and Winter months are likely to contribute to the substantial increase in body weight that frequently occurs during adulthood.
In a study conducted with 165 volunteers, the extra weight gained during the holidays was not lost during the year, and each ended the year heavier than they were the year before.
The study further concludes “promotion of weight stability during the Fall and Winter months may prove useful as a strategy to prevent age-related weight gain in the United States.”
“Because losing weight is so difficult, it is important to learn when and why people gain weight so that effective strategies to prevent obesity can be developed”, says Dr. Susan Yanovski, Executive Director, National Task Force on the Treatment of Obesity.
The Diet Center® is located at 120 East 56th Street, NYC, NY 10022, Phone: 212-759-8118.
DIJON-LEMON VINAIGRETTE SALAD DRESSING
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp fresh ground
black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon xylitol
Combine all ingredients in a jar and cover tightly. Shake jar vigorously to mix ingredients well. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Per a 1 tbsp serving: 25 cal, 1 g carbs, 0 protein
