HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING: HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO

by Sophie Duster

The holiday season is finally upon us and many use it as a time to celebrate with friends and family. With that in mind, a holiday celebration just isn’t complete without the food. Past reports on holiday weight gain have often been exaggerated with reports suggesting an average of 7 to 10 lbs. between Thanksgiving and Christmas. More recent studies show that the average weight gain during the winter holidays is around one to two pounds for average Americans and five pounds or more for those who are overweight (Wolfram, 2016). Luckily, the unwanted weight gain can be avoided by following these 3 simple steps. 

With these tips in mind, remember to enjoy the holidays! Don’t let the fear of gaining a couple of pounds prevent you from spending quality time with your friends and families. As William S. Gilbert would say “It isn’t so much what’s on the table that matters, as what’s on the chairs”. 

References
Dennis, E. A., Dengo, A. L., Comber, D. L., Flack, K. D., Savla, J., Davy, K. P., & Davy, B. M. (2010). Water Consumption Increases Weight Loss During a Hypocaloric Diet Intervention in Middle-aged   and Older adults. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 18(2)307. http://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2009.235
 
Harding, I.H., Andrews, Z.B., Mata, F., Orlandea, S., Martínez-Zalacaín, I., Soriano-Mas, C., . . . Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2017). Brain substrates of unhealthy versus healthy food choices: influence of homeostatic status and body mass index. Int J Obes (Long).  doi:10.1038/ijo.2017.237.

Hupston, F. (2012). Why drinking alcohol makes you fat. Retrieved November 14, 2017, from https://www.naturalnews.com/035319_alcohol_body_fat_calories.html#

Wolfram, T. (2016). Stay Mindful with 4 Tips for Holiday Eating. Retrieved November 13, 2017, from http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/lifestyle/holidays/a-healthy-approach-to-holiday-eating

Yanovski, J., Yanovski, S., Sovik, S., & Nguyen, T. (2000). A Prospective Study of Holiday  Weight Gain. N Engl J Med. 342:861-867. doi: 10.1056/NEJM2000323421206