The eating season is officially here. And, while the notion that most Americans gain 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is false (the average is about 2 pounds), the pounds gained during this time of year will likely be with you for most of your adult life. Since preventing weight gain is easier than losing pesky pounds, here’s what I do to help ensure I weigh the same — or less — on New Year’s Day than I do today.
1. Get back on track — stat.
A typical Thanksgiving dinner may be 2,000 calories or more, but it should only be one meal! One day of overeating doesn’t cause weight gain. It’s when one day becomes three days, a week and then a month. For many people, Thanksgiving is the start of the annual “eating season,” which includes lots of parties, decadent food gifts and lots of Christmas cookies and Hanukkah latkes. I allow myself to indulge at Thanksgiving, holiday parties and other events, but I get back on track immediately — at my next meal. I don’t let a single diet detour turn into a full derailment. (Thinkstock)
[See: Holiday Vices: How to Have Fun Without Overdoing It.]
(Getty Images/iStockphoto/Anchiy)
Getty Images/iStockphoto/Anchiy
2. Get your sweat on.
I will always attend the holiday Thanksgiving workout at my local CrossFit gym. It’s longer and harder than most CrossFit workouts of the day (or WODs, in CrossFit language), so everyone can feel better about overindulging later in the day. I will also add a short trail run before or after my CrossFit WOD to provide even more leeway in my calorie budget. Extra exercise (especially high-intensity) can help boost your body’s fat-burning abilities so that you will be less likely to store excess calories as body fat. A recent study out of the University of Michigan found that when subjects upped their exercise to two and a half hours a day, the effects of overeating were mitigated by the extra exercise. Bottom line: Move more if you’re going to eat more.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
3. Put the brakes on booze.
It’s no surprise that the cheer of the holidays means the season is the booziest time of year. Since alcohol is calorie rich, stimulates your appetite and reduces your inhibitions, it’s hard to stay on track when you imbibe. I will have no more than one glass of wine at dinner and it will be with my meal, not before it. That’s because studies show that alcohol enjoyed as an appetizer leads to increased calorie consumption at mealtimes. Before my wine glass is filled (and once it’s gone), I’ll drink calorie-free sparkling water with some festive mix-ins like cranberries and mint. (Getty Images)
[See: 9 Reasons It Rocks to Be the DD.]
(Getty Images/iStockphoto/igorr1)
Getty Images/iStockphoto/igorr1
4. Lighten up your favorite foods.
No matter what I’m making at Thanksgiving, I have simple tricks to improve the healthfulness of holiday favorites. Since cranberry sauce is my favorite traditional dish, I make it every year, no matter what, so that I can enjoy my holiday fave guilt-free. To make mine healthier, I use unsweetened applesauce and fresh apples for half of the sugar, and replace the rest of the sugar with an all-natural stevia and cane sugar blend, which slashes calories from sugar in my recipes by 75 percent without impacting the taste or texture. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
[See: Healthy Holiday Desserts and Snacks.]
5. Have a game plan.
The good news is that many traditional Thanksgiving dishes, including turkey, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, are inherently healthy. That means it’s pretty easy to get a calorie-appropriate, balanced meal for your holiday dinner. When I’m about to eat, I’ll assess what’s available and fill my plate with the healthiest foods first. If I’m not satisfied after eating the best choices, only then will I go back for some of the more decadent treats. This is the easiest way to squeeze out the less-healthy options on the menu.
(WTOP/Nahal Amouzadeh)
