The Holiday "Food Marathon" is Here!

The stores are flooded with discounted Halloween candy; the feasts of Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and Christmas are just around the corner and just when we think it's finally over, the parties of New Year's Eve and the Superbowl will tempt us even more!

Some sources estimate that Americans typically gain 5-7 pounds during the holidays, while other sources say it's as much as 15 pounds. Whatever the number, we all know the holidays mean parties with delicious food and drinks, big family dinners, traveling, and hosting guests – all the things that disrupt our normal eating and exercise routine.

We want you to enjoy the holidays without the weight gain, so we've dedicated this November edition of JourneyLite^SM LiteNews to arming you with helpful tips on how to get through the holidays without overindulging.

Surviving the Holidays Without Gaining Weight

Holidays are just that – days. A few days out of the year, not weeks, where we can spend time with friends and family and focus on the good things in our lives. The holidays are not an excuse to overindulge, promising yourself that a "resolution" later will shed the extra pounds.

But avoiding all of those holiday goodies is easier said than done, so we've created a list of ways to help you make it through the upcoming holidays without gaining weight:

Before the big party or holiday dinner:

1. Eat a high protein breakfast.

Protein takes longer to digest. Try eggs, lean meats, low-fat cheeses, and nuts.

2. Don't skip meals!

Trying to make "room" for extra calories at the party or the big dinner by starving yourself during the day just sets you up for a binge and you'll be ravenous.

3. Have a healthy snack or protein shake before you go out.

4. Wear snug clothing so you feel the effects of your eating.

At the party or dinner:

1. Careful with the cocktails.

Cocktails are often loaded with sugar. The average cocktail contains between 150-200 calories. Three or four drinks later, and you've consumed enough calories for one meal. If you are having a drink, choose drinks made with club soda or diet sodas.

2. Take your time and survey the foods before making your selection.

You'll make healthier choices and you won't find you've filled your plate only to find one more item you can't pass up.

3. Fill up on the healthy foods.

Veggies, lean meats, fruits, cheeses.

4. Position yourself away from the food.

If you stay close to the food, you'll end up grazing even if you aren't hungry. Out of sight, out of mind.

5. Keep your hands occupied.

Carry a clutch purse, a camera, or keep a beverage in your hand.

6. Eat slowly at buffets.

Have one plate and wait 20 minutes before going for seconds. Your brain needs at least that much time to tell your stomach that it's full.

7. Use appetizer or kid's plates to control your portions.

8. Excuse yourself from the dinner table once your finished.

9. Keep your mouth busy.

Talk, talk, talk! Conversation is calorie free. Or chew gum or a sugarless mint.

10. Say no politely.

When your host offers you more treats, politely decline.

Other Healthy Holiday Eating Tips:

1. Potluck dinners

Don't sabotage yourself and assume there'll be something healthy to eat – bring it yourself! Make a fruit salad or spinach salad. They're quick and easy to carry.

2. Sit Down Dinners

If you are attending a sit down dinner, let your host know if you have any dietary restrictions.

3. Keep a food diary.

It will help keep you in your routine and help track your "indulgences." In fact, research shows that people who keep food diaries consume 15% less food.

4. Go ahead, Indulge!

You do have permission to enjoy the holidays, but in moderation. Holidays are meant to be happy times; times to enjoy those foods that bring back warm memories of childhood and family. Choose what foods will make you the happiest and control your portions. If you do splurge on some dessert, be more careful with your entrée for dinner, or up your physical activity for the day.

5. Shopping

Holiday shopping is booby trapped with free samples of candies, cakes, and drinks, and beautiful displays of food. Never shop on an empty stomach! Have a high-protein snack before you hit the malls.

eMindful - Mindful Eating Tools

These tips above can be applied to your overall eating habits, not just during the holidays. eMindful is an online program that gives you the tools to make these changes to your everyday eating habits.

eMindful (www.eMindful.com)provides live, online behavioral education, developed in collaboration with Duke Integrative Medicine, as a supplementary tool for bariatric surgery patients - where participants can see, hear and interact with their teacher and fellow group members. The Mindful Eating for Bariatric Patients Program is fun, and evidence suggests that mindful eating tools can have a dramatic beneficial impact on your overall health, well-being, and success in losing and managing your weight.



As a participant in the Mindful Eating for Bariatric Patients (MEBP) Program,
you will:



• learn to work more effectively with your own personal eating patterns


  
• distinguish between body hunger and emotional hunger, as well as mechanisms for coping with urges and cravings
  
• become more aware of how your choices are being made
  
• learn how distorted thinking sabotages weight loss
  
• be able to recognize and better handle angry, sad, or other difficult feelings (without eating)


  
• learn the principles of, and research on, weight maintenance
  
• create a personal mission statement and set goals reflecting your personal values




  

Keep Moving!

Besides overeating, the major culprit of holiday weight gain is the lack of physical activity. Visits from friends and family, traveling, and different school schedules all work together to throw us off our normal exercise habits. Exercise will help you more than you think. It burns calories, suppresses appetite, and helps you deal with stress.

Here are some ways to keep your physical activity up:

1. Include time for exercise.

If you are out shopping, walk for an extra half hour at the mall.

2. Exercise with your guests.

Ask them to join you for a walk, or secure a few guest passes from the gym and bring them along. Or simply get up earlier than they do and exercise then.

3. Start a more active holiday tradition.

Go skating, sledding, skiing (if you're in the right part of the country). Park the car and walk to see neighborhood Christmas decorations. Make sometime to be outside and play with your kids.

4. Exercise at home if you can.

***This information provided by JourneyLite. For more information on JourneyLite, please visit their site at http://www.journeylite.com***