Holiday season is just round the corner. There will be parties, celebrations, food and champagne. Ahhhh....that irresistible succulent Christmas turkey and sumptious pudding. That mouth watering new year buffet and the countdown champagne are so tempting. Your spirit is willing but your flesh is week. You binge. So what is price you pay for your hoilday binge? Well, stepped onto the bathroom scale and horror of horrors, you have gained a few pounds!! Aaaaaaaaarrrrgghhh!! You pulled your hair and gnash your teeth wondering how you can lose the holiday weight you have gained. You even contemplate to engage a personal trainer to put you on a weight loss program. Whoa, fret no longer. With a little thought and planning, you can avoid holiday weight gain.
Here are some tips on how not to put on holiday weight so that you don't have to lose weight post holiday season. 1) Just Remember that the holiday season is just a few days.
So that the days you squeal , "I will gain weight around the holidays," or "I know I will gain 5 pounds during holiday season" or "I’ll start a weight loss program after holiday season is over." are over. Why? Well, since you know that there is only a couple of days you will eat more, then you just eat more on those days and no more. Don't let it the binge into a week or more by taking home all the leftovers or storing more sweets snf pastries than you need for that particular holiday. It is usually what people find in the fridge and on the kitchen shelf after the holiday that they continue to binge. Empty fridge and the shelves. This will help you not to put on too much weight so you need not lose weight post holiday season. 2) Turn Off Your TV Set
Hey! Instead of watching all those holiday special programs on your goggle box, get moving! Instead of watching a soccer game on TV, get a ball and go to the nearest park for a kick around. Instead of lying on your couch snacking to a packet of chips, go lie by the poolside, then do a few laps. Better still, get your family and friends to join you. Go for a jog instead. If it is winter where you live, be innovative, think of some indoor activities or exercises you can do.While others gain weight, you may even lose weight. Afterall its a holiday. Have fun! 3) Avoid Acohol To Avoid Weight Gain
One gram of alcohol packs a whalloping 7 calories. In contrast, carbs and protein have only 4 calories per gram. Calories from alcohol are just, well, calories with zero nutritional value. They will rapidly convert into fat fast when you do not burn them off quickly. Avoid high-calorie mixed drinks like cocktails that are full of sugar or beer which are high in carbohydrates which translate into even more calories. You will definitely need to be on a weight loss program if you indulge in too much alcohol.
4) Drink Plenty Of Water Juices, soft drinks and coffee don't count! Just good ole plain water. Water flushes out toxins in the body, helps the body recover from dehydration caused by alcohol consumption. You will also feel full so that you will not over eat resulting in gaining weight. 5) Skip Dessert To Lose Weight Do you need those sweet and calorie laden thingies? If you must have them, choose those that are not that sweet or even better, just have some fibrous fruits and nuts. Do this to keep your weight in check. If you can keep to these tips this coming holiday season, then you will not gain weigh and thus may not need to lose weight post holiday or embark on a weight loss program. Simple and cool isn't it?
Easter is another one of those days that brings friends and family together. There are many great dishes and plans that can be made for Easter dinner depending on where in the world you may be celebrating. Just remember to try to avoid making plans for Easter dinner that are contingent upon the weather to work because it never seems to do exactly the opposite of what you plan for no matter where in the country you may be.With so many dyed eggs around it would be a shame not to incorporate them into the meals that are being prepared for your Easter menu. There are many ways to do that and a favorite in my house is with devilled eggs. In addition to devilled eggs, which are excellent appetizers you can also chop the eggs up and include them in potato salad, egg salad, or chicken salad (which also happens to make excellent finger sandwiches for a light appetizer). You may also use boiled eggs in the making of cornbread dressing and/or giblet gravy, which are both popular Easter dishes in some southern states.The good news is that there are plenty of dishes that go wonderfully well with eggs. If you like ham this is a great dish to serve with dressing, to make ham salad with later, and to simply have along with your favorite egg recipe. Ham is relatively simple to make as the hard part is often waiting on it to be finished. If you want even more simplicity the only thing you really need to do to have an excellent ham dinner is poor a can of Coca-Cola over the ham, cover it in aluminum foil, and bake it for the necessary duration. It really can't get any easier than that though there are plenty of more complicated ham recipes available.You will want to offer plenty of side dishes to compliment your main dish. Popular favorites are vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and rolls. These are all relatively simple to prepare, not very time consuming and can also be delegated to guests if you'd like without too terribly much fuss. You'll also want to have a few appetizers on hand for the time before dinner is ready and a couple of desserts for the perfect finish - as if those chocolate bunnies from the Easter basket's are not enough. For those looking for fare that is a little lighter on Easter I recommend offering salads with low fat dressing, steamed veggies, use diet coke on the ham instead of regular and prepare at least one sugar free dessert as well as offer some fruit and a raw veggie platter with fat free dip along with the appetizers. Easter is a day to celebrate and you shouldn't leave family members who are dieting to dread their lack of healthy eating options. You'll also find yourself surprised by those who, given the option, will eat the healthier foods if they are available. Make sure you offer plenty of drink options ranging from bottled water, coffee, tea (sweet and un-sweet if you live in the South), and favorite pop brands of family members as well. If you are hosing Easter dinner at your home in addition to these cooking ideas I also suggest offering a place for your guests to change clothes if necessary. Many people come wearing their Sunday best and while it was great for church services and photo opportunities they don't often fare too well with gravy, butter, or grass stains.
Of course you could skip all the advice above and go for a down home hoe do
wn of a barbecue for the Easter holiday that in some parts of the country signals the approach of Spring. Barbecues are often appealing because it limits a good bit of the mess to the great outdoors and gives the kids involved a great place to run, play, and let off steam.
Thanksgiving started off the holiday season that will end on New Year's Day. During this time of the year, most people struggle with their diet, especially with all the tempting holiday goodies that are being served left and right. It is expected that most of us are going to overeat during these holidays, but experts advise Americans not to throw good habits out the window during the holidays. For some people, it's like a bleep on the screen. Holidays should not serve as a green light to a six-week indulgence that precedes and necessitates the trip back to the gym on the second day of the new year. For people who have problems with obesity, this can be a very difficult time as it can really throw them off target. Studies have shown that seasonal weight gain during the holidays is a slippery slope. One can easily add up ten pounds during the season. While three ounces of white turkey meat has only 130 calories, a serving of sweet potato casserole can give you as much as 330 calories. Stuffing has approximately 107 calories, a slice of pumpkin pie has more than 300, and a piece of pecan pie has 500 calories. Dietitians recommend that instead of drinking alcohol and other high-caloric drinks, try to enjoy eating pies and turkey with lots of water. Help yourself with a reasonable portion of meat, vegetables without the high-calorie sauces, and a few small bites of desserts. Eat slowly. But don't get stuck in guilt if you've eaten too much. Feeling guilty only makes things worse. It may lead you to totally abandon your diet and make haphazard decisions to resume weight loss plans in January next year. Walking around the block can help you lose those added calories. It would take 27 minutes of walking to burn the 97 calories in an 8-ounce serving of cola. A really fast mile would burn 125 calories. But it's not enough to cover the 2,000 to 3,000 calories in an average Thanksgiving meals alone. And we still have Christmas and New Years Eve parties to go.
Have a plan of action by visualizing the meal beforehand. Decide ahead of time what food to eat and what to avoid. Eating while sitting is advised to make you feel fuller rather than standing which easily keeps the food down. Eat from a plate to keep things in proportion rather than off a tray, which makes you lose track of how much you already had.You don't really have to deprive yourself of all those holiday goodies. Simply practice moderation. When you get offtrack, returning to an exercise regimen and having the right eating portions can help you get back on the road to a healthier diet and holiday spree.
A pound you gain and can't remove is a pound for life. Extra pounds that come from extra calories are not easy to melt away. So, have keep that plan of action to avoid getting those excess pounds during the holidays. Carefully choose what food to eat. Eat leisurely, and savor those holiday goodness.
It’s that time of year again and for most of us that will mean rounds of parties, get-togethers and holiday dinners. While the holidays are a great time to get-together with family and friends, they can be a real threat to our diets. This year instead of giving up holiday get-togethers all together or giving in to the decadent fare spread out before you and regretting it later learn how to successfully manage the holidays with some creative table strategies. When planning strategies to keep your diet intact throughout the holidays, there are two main fronts you need to wage on the Battle of the Bulge. First, you need to work on diet strategies for events that you host and second, strategies for events that you do not host.Hosting holiday events can be a lot of work, but it does give you a tremendous advantage in terms of managing your diet. Many people are reluctant to even attempt incorporating their diet plans into the foods they offer at holiday get-togethers because they are concerned they will offend their family and friends. First, not everything that you offer on your holiday buffet table needs to be diet related. Just make sure you have enough of the items that fit into your plan so that you have plenty to choose from without straying into forbidden territory. Also, consider ways that you can make traditional foods diet friendly. In many cases, your guests and family will never even know the difference; unless you tell them. Cocktail parties are always a big hit and it’s easy to incorporate diet friendly foods into such a party with low calorie dipping sauces, lean meat skewers, fresh vegetables and fruits. You will have less control over events that you are not hosting; but that doesn’t mean that you have no options. One of the best ways to defend yourself against the onslaught on tempting foods at most holiday parties is to eat a sensible small meal before you attend the party. This will take a significant edge off your appetite and you will be less likely to cheat when you arrive.
Another strategy that can work well is to bring a dish that fits in with your diet plan. Don’t make a big deal out of it or force it on anyone else and you’ll likely find that no one is really paying much attention to the fact that you brought your own food. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water; which can be a great tool to help you fill full. Finally, don’t forget to incorporate the help of a weight loss buddy to get you through any moments of temptations. Chances are, there will be at least one other person in attendance who is also trying to stick to their guns in terms of diet resolutions. Support one another by staying away from the food table and taking a brisk walk after the event to work off anything you just couldn’t resist sampling.
Starting from around Thanksgiving to roughly the end of Christmas, people eat more than they usually do at any other time of year. This period of time is sometimes nicknamed the “season of gluttony,” where even the most health and weight-conscious individuals forget about the stress of watching what they eat and dig into whatever happens to be on the table at the time. For some, avoiding the stress and anxiety that comes with turning down food during the Holidays is often enough to make them go on eating binges until the 25th comes around and all this insanity ends.
After all, a little indulgence during this relatively short amount of time isn't going to have any harmful side effects on the body, is it? Well, medical science may have something to say about that assumption. For most, the worst things that can happen are things like indigestion, a hang-over (for those among you who drink), and the need to get looser-fitting clothing. However, science says that there may be more drastic side effects than that, some of which may appear immediately, while others may manifest later on.The immediate effects usually come in the form of flatulence and bouts of indigestion that vary in terms of intensity. Putting on a few extra pounds after a couple of meals is perfectly understandable and, for some people, even expected. Other, more dangerous side effects can appear, however. For example, it is quite possible for someone to experience nausea and drowsiness while driving home after a particularly big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Pain in the gallbladder and a mild dulling of alertness and reflexes can also come because of massive meals. However, these are just the preliminary things that people have to worry about.The higher the quantity that was eaten and the more fat content it had, the longer it takes for the meal to actually finish being dissolved by stomach acids. This causes an extra load to be placed on the body, forcing the circulatory system to pump more blood into the digestive system to keep up with the load. This deprives over areas of the body their regular supply of blood and nutrients, which results in things like nausea and drowsiness. For the average system, this is not a major problem, but for people with already strained cardiovascular systems, this can result in things like heart attacks and higher blood pressure levels.
The ability of the human mind to ignore things like being full is an evolutionary mechanism that allows humans to stock up on body fat in times of plenty. This, in theory, allows people to have a larger energy reserve when food is scarce. The body and mind does place limits on things like these, but during the Holiday season, most people are able to ignore this impulse in favor of eating more food. People find it much harder to turn down food during the Holidays, especially if they're not participating in the usual family conversations that happen during these times. However, reducing the amount of food eaten can be critical in avoiding a number of complications that may arise from over-eating during the season.
The F F F Plan, Extra!Most Bariatric Surgery Patients experience a wide range of Holiday eating anxieties which can actually ruin a perfectly good Holiday around friends and family.
Prior to surgery, Holidays meant family, friends, and lots of food to indulge in and enjoy – often at a glutinous rate simply because Holiday foods are “special” because they are only provided during the season and they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it. How many times do you hear these phrases said at a Holiday gathering?
“That’s ALL you’re going to have? I worked so hard on that dish…”
“You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for another year….”
“It will hurt my feelings if you don’t eat this…..”
“These are very special ingredients I ordered specifically for this dish…”
“You can’t be NOT HUNGRY… it’s a Holiday!”
“Just ONE LITTLE BITE, PLEEEEEZEEEEZ…..”
“Have more, there’s plenty…”
“Take some of this home with you if you’re not going to eat it now…”
“Oh nonsense! You’re allowed to eat a lot today!”
“You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself like the rest of us…”
OH, how this list could fill a book, right? Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, let alone those who have had the Bariatric surgery and have to be careful what they eat, how much they eat, and how often they eat. So you are NOT ALONE in feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gatherings this season.
I’d like to offer some suggestions that have worked for me and others during this most stressful time when Holidays equates to special foods and the pressure to partake in them is way too much out of hand at times. 1. Prepare you mind for the event: Reflect on past Holiday experiences and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you. Have it in your mind what you will say and do when those food-pushers taunt you or down-right threaten you to eat during the “special occasion.2. Anticipate the food: Reflect on past Holiday foods that are always provided to you within your social circle. Predetermine what you WILL eat and what you WON’T eat. Making a decision ahead of time will curb your gut-reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat.3. Never try anything new at the party: Not knowing how you will react to the food carries the high risk of making you ill and calling for you quick retreat to the bathroom or feeling sick for an hour or so. This will draw attention to you, which is something you don’t’ want. The host and guest will feel badly for you, so don’t put them or you in such a situation. Only eat things that you are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.
4. Take baby-bites of the “special” foods: Literally, take a baby-bite if you absolutely must partake of foods strictly for the social expectations. If it’s too much for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting too much on the spoon or fork.
5. No-Guilt in Tossing it: In a social event where you don’t’ want attention drawn to how little you are eating, take a small plate with small portions of food, then take small bites of each item, then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking. This gives the appearance that you’re “normal” and all will assume you have gotten your fill. This spares hurting the feelings of Great Aunt Gerdie who truly does cry if you refuse her special 60%-sugar/90%-fat/carb-loaded/stroke-on-a-plate pie. Tossing out the unwanted uneaten portions is just a “different” way of consuming… so don’t’ feel guilty about it. All that matters is that Great Aunt Gerdie delights in seeing her pie disappearing.
6. Eat healthy before you go and bring your own essentials: Never go to a Holiday party hungry… NEVER! This is self-sabotage in the worst way! Enough said? Take along your own treats and drinks that are RNY-Friendly to you. Don’t request an extra effort on your host. You know what you need, so take it with you. While they are eating pies and cakes, you can have the sugar-free fudge sickles you brought along or those sugar-free pudding cups. And if they are serving only sodas or alcohol and you cant’ do them, bring your own herbal teas or no-sugar-added hot chocolate packets. This will make you, the host, and the guests feel comfortable and nobody will feel that you are “suffering” as they eat your NO-NO’s. 7. Talk more than you eat: The Holidays should be about PEOPLE, not food. So be social. Focus on the people; laugh with them, tell stories, listen to their tall tales, play games, etc. If you do these things, you’ll be amazed at how well the gathering will go for you simply because you didn’t focus on food. And when the food-pushers come along, just glance by them off into the distance and make your exit because you “want to talk to so-n-so or your cell phone is vibrating and you’ve got to excuse yourself for the call…. Perfectly acceptable to have a pre-planned “way out” when you need one. 8. Change the food-subject: Others may want to cry boo-hoo with you if you keep telling them of all the foods you’re missing out on this year. Don’t do that! Rather than mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats, brag on the fact that you’re feeling so much healthier, your clothes are getting baggier, and you’re dreaming again of all the great things that are in store for you now that you are slimming down. Don’t’ allow anyone to pity you for not eating like you used to eat.
9. Wear a “knock-out” outfit: WOW them all this Holiday season by wearing a special outfit that you feel very proud to be seen in. The food isn’t special to you anymore… you’ve swapped that for the special outfits you can now wear! Let people whisper to each other how great you look rather than how little you are eating. The stress of not eating so much will be far away to you when you feel good about yourself and look good too.10. Make your visit brief: if you are getting too much pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, let leave the gathering earlier than you originally planned. Maybe you’re tired, the roads are getting bad, you realized you need to do something… remember that “pre-planned” escape should be there for you if you need it.
I can attest that these are tactics that I’ve used and STILL use in social gatherings when it is expected to eat special foods during special times. Granted, I am three years post-op, so my anxieties are not as high as they once were… but they certainly threatened my Holiday happiness not too long ago!
Remember this most of all…. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful Holiday Eating Anxieties. Now go have fun!
Most Bariatric Surgery Patients experience a wide range of Holiday eating anxieties which can actually ruin a perfectly good Holiday around friends and family. Prior to surgery, Holidays meant family, friends, and lots of food to indulge in and enjoy – often at a glutinous rate simply because Holiday foods are “special” because they are only provided during the season and they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it. How many times do you hear these phrases said at a Holiday gathering?“That’s ALL you’re going to have? I worked so hard on that dish…”
“You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for another year….”
“It will hurt my feelings if you don’t eat this…..”
“These are very special ingredients I ordered specifically for this dish…”
“You can’t be NOT HUNGRY… it’s a Holiday!”
“Just ONE LITTLE BITE, PLEEEEEZEEEEZ…..”
“Have more, there’s plenty…”
“Take some of this home with you if you’re not going to eat it now…”
“Oh nonsense! You’re allowed to eat a lot today!”
“You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself like the rest of us…”OH, how this list could fill a book, right? Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, let alone those who have had the Bariatric surgery and have to be careful what they eat, how much they eat, and how often they eat. So you are NOT ALONE in feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gatherings this season.
I’d like to offer some suggestions that have worked for me and others during this most stressful time when Holidays equates to special foods and the pressure to partake in them is way too much out of hand at times.
1. Prepare you mind for the event: Reflect on past Holiday experiences and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you. Have it in your mind what you will say and do when those food-pushers taunt you or down-right threaten you to eat during the “special occasion.
2. Anticipate the food: Reflect on past Holiday foods that are always provided to you within your social circle. Predetermine what you WILL eat and what you WON’T eat. Making a decision ahead of time will curb your gut-reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat.
3. Never try anything new at the party: Not knowing how you will react to the food carries the high risk of making you ill and calling for you quick retreat to the bathroom or feeling sick for an hour or so. This will draw attention to you, which is something you don’t’ want. The host and guest will feel badly for you, so don’t put them or you in such a situation. Only eat things that you are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.
4. Take baby-bites of the “special” foods: Literally, take a baby-bite if you absolutely must partake of foods strictly for the social expectations. If it’s too much for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting too much on the spoon or fork.
5. No-Guilt in Tossing it: In a social event where you don’t’ want attention drawn to how little you are eating, take a small plate with small portions of food, then take small bites of each item, then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking. This gives the appearance that you’re “normal” and all will assume you have gotten your fill. This spares hurting the feelings of Great Aunt Gerdie who truly does cry if you refuse her special 60%-sugar/90%-fat/carb-loaded/stroke-on-a-plate pie. Tossing out the unwanted uneaten portions is just a “different” way of consuming… so don’t’ feel guilty about it. All that matters is that Great Aunt Gerdie delights in seeing her pie disappearing.
6. Eat healthy before you go and bring your own essentials: Never go to a Holiday party hungry… NEVER! This is self-sabotage in the worst way! Enough said? Take along your own treats and drinks that are RNY-Friendly to you. Don’t request an extra effort on your host. You know what you need, so take it with you. While they are eating pies and cakes, you can have the sugar-free fudge sickles you brought along or those sugar-free pudding cups. And if they are serving only sodas or alcohol and you cant’ do them, bring your own herbal teas or no-sugar-added hot chocolate packets. This will make you, the host, and the guests feel comfortable and nobody will feel that you are “suffering” as they eat your NO-NO’s.
7. Talk more than you eat: The Holidays should be about PEOPLE, not food. So be social. Focus on the people; laugh with them, tell stories, listen to their tall tales, play games, etc. If you do these things, you’ll be amazed at how well the gathering will go for you simply because you didn’t focus on food. And when the food-pushers come along, just glance by them off into the distance and make your exit because you “want to talk to so-n-so or your cell phone is vibrating and you’ve got to excuse yourself for the call…. Perfectly acceptable to have a pre-planned “way out” when you need one.
8. Change the food-subject: Others may want to cry boo-hoo with you if you keep telling them of all the foods you’re missing out on this year. Don’t do that! Rather than mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats, brag on the fact that you’re feeling so much healthier, your clothes are getting baggier, and you’re dreaming again of all the great things that are in store for you now that you are slimming down. Don’t’ allow anyone to pity you for not eating like you used to eat.
9. Wear a “knock-out” outfit: WOW them all this Holiday season by wearing a special outfit that you feel very proud to be seen in. The food isn’t special to you anymore… you’ve swapped that for the special outfits you can now wear! Let people whisper to each other how great you look rather than how little you are eating. The stress of not eating so much will be far away to you when you feel good about yourself and look good too.
10. Make your visit brief: if you are getting too much pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, let leave the gathering earlier than you originally planned. Maybe you’re tired, the roads are getting bad, you realized you need to do something… remember that “pre-planned” escape should be there for you if you need it.
I can attest that these are tactics that I’ve used and STILL use in social gatherings when it is expected to eat special foods during special times. Granted, I am three years post-op, so my anxieties are not as high as they once were… but they certainly threatened my Holiday happiness not too long ago!
Remember this most of all…. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful Holiday Eating Anxieties. Now go have fun!
