Columnist Haadiza Ogwude discusses various techniques that can help you avoid gaining weight this winter season.
It’s that time of year again — holiday season. With holiday season comes gaudy decorations, corny songs, ugly sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes and family dinners. Yes, the food. What we all look forward to the most. From Halloween candy to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza feasts. This is the time of year where we all begin to pack on a few extra pounds. Between all the dinners and holiday sweets and treats, it’s no wonder that many Americans' New Year’s resolutions include losing weight.
A little weight gain here and there may seem like no big deal, but according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, most Americans never lose the weight they gain during the winter holidays. The pounds can add up year after year, making holiday weight gain an important factor in adult obesity.
Susan G. Rabin, writer for WebMD, outlines 10 ways someone could avoid holiday weight gain. The first step she lists is to never arrive hungry. Arriving to a party or a gathering starving will cause you to indulge more than you would have if you had eaten a little ahead of time. Rabin suggests having a snack beforehand or drinking water with your meal to help fill you up.
The next step Rabin mentions is diverting your attention. Don’t look at the get-together as just an opportunity to eat. Enjoy the company of friends and family, dance, play a game, focus your attention on something other than food.
Pacing yourself is the next step. Tell yourself you’re only going to eat during the first hour. Limiting when you’re going to eat will help you from going back to the snack table all night. Also try chewing slower and putting your fork down after every bite.
Rabin also mentions counting your canapes. Meaning, keep track of how many appetizers you’re having. Eating one too many pigs in a blanket is never good.
Outsmarting the buffet is another key to keeping the calories down this holiday season. When you’re next in line for food, try using the smaller plates and don’t stack your food. Limiting how much alcohol you drink is important as well. If you feel out of place without a drink, try sipping water or juice.
The next step that Rabin discusses is being choosy about sweets. Instead of trying every dessert on the table, pick one or two and get smaller portions. Also, bringing your own treats to a gathering can help immensely. Bring a low calorie dessert to the potluck. Bringing your own dessert will make the fattening alternatives less appealing.
If you’re someone who enjoys cooking during the holidays, you may want to limit how many “tastes” you allow yourself to have. People lose their appetites when they have been cooking because they have been eating the whole time. Limit yourself to just a few pre and post seasoning bites.
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The last suggestion Rabin makes is walking it off. Just because it is holiday season does not mean that we should stop working out. Whether it’s making time in your schedule to go to the gym or taking a family walk after dinner, make sure you continue to get exercise throughout these winter months.
It is possible to enjoy the holidays and keep yourself from gaining weight. It won’t always be easy but it will be worth it. However, the holidays are meant for celebrating and indulging in good food, so go ahead and have that second helping of mashed potatoes, or that third slice of pumpkin pie, but remember the key is moderation. By practicing some or all of the steps above, you will be better equipped to tackle the holiday food spreads.
Haadiza Ogwude is a sophomore studying journalism. What tips do you have to combat holiday weight gain? Tweet Haadiza @AdoreHaadiza or email her atho299413@ohio.edu.
