It’s so easy to let the weight creep on during the holidays,
but with a little bit of effort and planning you can keep those kilos under
control.
It’s the holidays. You have parties and Christmas lunch to
look forward to, New Year’s drinks and a trip away – it’s tempting just to
accept that a few extra kilograms will hit your hips.
“Research suggests people can put on up to 4kg during the
Christmas break,” says accredited practicing dietitian Milena Katz. The problem
with being complacent about holiday weight gain, even if it’s only a kilo or
two, is that it doesn’t magically drop off when the silly season is over. “You
might lose a little of it, but the rest can hang around and even accumulate
through the year,” she says.
Want to keep the weight off these holidays? Follow these dos
and don’ts:
DON’T arrive hungry
Being famished when you hit a Christmas event makes it
harder not to overeat. “Eat a salad, a piece of fruit or a toasted sandwich
before you go,” says Professor Clare Collins, spokesperson for the Dietitians
Association of Australia. Once there, don’t eat or drink to placate an
insistent host. “Take a small portion to be polite, but don’t feel you have to
finish it,” she says.
The difference between a large (125g) slice of cheesecake
and a small (75g) slice is 715kJ.
Being famished
when you hit a Christmas event makes it harder not to overeat.
DON’T eat just anything
It can be easy at parties to eat foods you’re not keen on
just because they’re offered to you. “Make it a rule to only eat foods you
really like,” says Katz. As long as you’re mindful of portions with your
treats, you don’t need to feel deprived or risk a kilojoule blow-out.
Here’s the proof. Eating a small amount of your favorite
treats will satisfy your hunger, say US experts, but you’ll eat 77 per cent
more when offered larger portions.
DO pack light
If you’re going away for the Christmas period, make your
suitcase reflect your good intentions, says Collins. “Pack your sports clothes
first, then your tightest shorts and party dress to help keep you on track.
They’re as good as a set of scales when you’re away.”
Going up a dress size means that you’ll carry an extra 4cm
around your bust, waist or thighs.
DO avoid the holiday buffet
You’re more likely to overeat to get your money’s worth,
says Collins. If a buffet breakfast is included in your holiday package, Katz
suggests making it your main meal of the day. “Have a healthy cooked breakfast
with lots of vegetables and a smaller lunch and dinner,” she says.
Think about what you have at breakfast: by not eating three
bacon rashers and buttered toast you’ll avoid 1649kJ and 20g of fat.
avoid the holiday
buffet
