Article written by Helga Marin Dec 2010
Dear Helga my name is Amna and Im 45 years old My concern is that every time when it comes to a holiday season I gain weight so instead of looking forward to taking off and being with my family I get very anxious and depressed. I don’t feel that I overeat but I do eat a bit more of unhealthy food as Im invited out a lot to friends and family. Do you have any suggestion on how I can enjoy the upcoming holiday without gaining weight?
Dear Amna
You are not the only one facing this problem, and for lot of people this is a constant battle. They gain weight during the holiday season, and just when they have managed to get rid of those extra pounds that they piled on; it is holiday season again. Firstly, you need to improve your metabolic rate. Here are a few tips:
- Eat regularly or every 2-3 hours on daily bases.
- Increase your overall activity level
- Include more vegetables in your diet
- Have your last meal at 6-7pm
Here are few tips to enjoy your holiday without the guilt:
- Eat slowly and enjoy the food you are eating. By paying attention to the taste of the food, you can easily decrease the amount you eat by 50% and still feel satisfied.
- Plan each day ahead, so you can balance out whatever you eat unhealthily. For example, if you are invited out for lunch you can reduce your afternoon snack and your dinner, don’t skip these meals as it slows down your metabolic rate. If you are invited out for dinner, reduce the amount of food especially the carbohydrates you eat the day after, and even for the next 2 days, but keep the frequent meals.
- Avoid starving yourself the whole day if you are going out for dinner. Not only will you slow down your metabolic rate so everything you eat at the dinner will be stored, but you are as well more likely to overeat at the dinner as your body will be craving the kcal you missed having during the day.
- On the days you are invited out, increase your activity level. If you can exercise 1-2 hours after your meal, you have a chance to burn off the excess food you have eaten. If you have excess food at night, then commit to exercise the morning after on an empty stomach.