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Article: Get a Head Start on Smart Holiday Season Strategies

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain Blues
by Roslyn Franken

In October we celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. Then start the Christmas and other religious holiday parties as early as November finally ending with New Year's Eve. No matter where we turn whether at home, at the office or even in shopping malls and restaurants, we find ourselves celebrating which means food, food and more food. As a result, it is not uncommon to gain 10 - 15 pounds if not more during this festive period. Then come January 1^st, we sit back crying the holiday weight gain blues making our New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get in shape, just like the year before.

Why do we do this to ourselves year after year? What can you do differently this year?  Let’s look at how to make the most of September to set the stage in your eating and lifestyle habits to help avoid the holiday weight gain blues.

WHY you tend to overindulge on your favourite holiday foods

We'll start by looking at WHY you tend to overindulge on your favourite holiday foods. With all the socializing it is easy to get so caught up in the immediate gratification that the calorie-loaded holiday foods bring that you completely neglect all the long-term consequences of each of those less healthy food and portion size choices you make. Then with added wine and other alcoholic consumption it becomes easier to let your guard down and completely lose control.

For example, picture the infamous cheese and cracker tray typically served at most holiday parties. Very high in fat, it doesn’t take much for the calories to start adding up. The next time you see those innocent looking cubes of cheese, remember that a 1 oz cube of cheddar cheese, for example, has about 120 calories. So if you’re standing there eating cube after cube or mindlessly going back for a few cubes here and there throughout the party, you can easily pack on nearly a day’s worth of calories with only 10-12 cheese cubes. If you love nuts, let’s take cashews for example, just think that ¼ cup serving has 220 calories and loads of fat. The problem is that you can easily eat lots of cashews without ever realizing how many calories you’re taking in. If by the end of the party you’ve eaten a few handfuls you can easily pack on another 800 – 1000 calories. So now between the cheese and cashews alone you’ve eaten nearly two day’s worth of calories and that doesn’t even include the calories taken in through the main meal or other appetizers.

You don’t need to count every calorie you eat

You don’t need to count every calorie you eat, however, you do need to start paying attention now to the portion sizes you’re eating of foods high in fat. The same goes for foods high in sugar as they too are very high in calories. This doesn’t mean you have to cut out all cheese, nuts or sweets from your diet. I am simply recommending to eat these foods in more limited quantities on a more limited basis and recognize that even many small portions can quickly add up.

Start adapting your exercise routine

September is also the time to start adapting your exercise routine for the colder weather. If you’ve been walking, swimming or playing golf all summer then consider skating, skiing or snowshoeing during the winter. If outdoor activity is unappealing then consider indoor activities such as joining a gym, taking dancing lessons, indoor swimming or investing in some great exercise equipment or DVD’s. Where there is a will there is a way. Saying that you can’t do any exercise because it’s too cold outside is no excuse. Either dress up warmly and get out there or get moving indoors.

Start moderating your eating habits and getting into an exercise routine now so that the holiday season doesn’t get the best of you. When tempted to overindulge or avoiding your exercise remember how discouraged you felt last year when you gained too much weight over the holidays. Avoid the holiday weight gain blues and instead make healthy choices to come away feeling proud of yourself.

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Roslyn Franken is the author of The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living, a powerful self-directed guide for achieving your long term health, lifestyle and weight management goals.

To purchase The A List book and for more information on Roslyn Franken’s personalized counseling and professional speaking services, please visit www.roslynfranken.com. Take your complimentary online Readiness Assessment and be sure to sign up for your FREE Healthy Hints newsletter.