Avoid the Weight This Season

Did you indulge a little too much over Thanksgiving?  Are you trying to be more conscious of your eating habits now that the second half of the holiday season is upon us?  There are plenty of ways to watch what you eat while still letting yourself have a good time during the holidays.  With a little awareness and planning ahead the stress of trying to not gain weight over the holidays can be completely avoided.

Millions of Americans have flooded shopping centers and malls already this year.  If you still have presents to buy and plan on spending an entire morning or afternoon out and about running errands, it is possible to still eat healthy.  You can keep your waistline slim if you simply become knowledgeable of what restaurants have out there and do a little planning ahead of time.

Many restaurants and fast food places attempt to present tasty healthier options.  What they do not tell you is that the reason they taste so delicious is because they load that healthy piece of grilled chicken with fatty bacon and mayonnaise.  For example, a Quarter Pounder at McDonald’s has less fat and more than half the sodium than a Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich.

Just because you go to Subway does not mean what you order is healthy.  If you are making an effort to “eat fresh”, then make sure what you order is actually fresh.  Subway has an entire list of sandwich options that are 500 calories or less such as turkey, roast beef, ham and chicken.  The fat comes into play in both bread choice as well as toppings.  Italian (white) and wheat bread are lower in calories than Subway’s Italian Herbs and Cheese.  The white bread topped with extra cheese and herbs may be tasty, but it adds 40 calories to a 6-inch serving.  Loading veggies onto your sandwich will make the sandwich more filling without adding any calories.  Mayonnaise may make your sandwich taste better, but it will add an extra 110 calories to your meal.   Choosing low-fat mayo, law-fat ranch or mustard will let you get your dressing fix without adding as many calories or fat.

A salad is always a great and healthy option while running errands and shopping but very difficult to eat while driving.  If you plan on eating in a food court go ahead and order a salad, but be conscious of what is in the salad.  Lettuce and other vegetables are very healthy, but not if they are covered in cheese, bacon and ranch dressing.  Opt for a low-fat or even fat-free dressing such as fat-free Italian or fat-free ranch.  Try to avoid salads with fried chicken pieces and bacon toppings.  They kind of counteract the purpose of eating a salad.

There is no shame in going to a restaurant’s website and planning where you are going to eat lunch that day.  Be conscious of what you are ordering and plan your meals accordingly.  You do not have to eat while shopping, though.  Eating before you leave your house and packing a bag of mixed nuts or celery sticks to get you through the day is also a possibility.  But if you do plan on eating out, just be knowledgeable of what you are eating.

Do you have a million parties to go to this year?  Having to go to holiday parties for work or friends can cause a lot of weight stress.  If you plan ahead of time, than you can avoid scale-shock the next day.

Just because a party’s host covers a table in hor d’oeuvres does not mean that you have to stuff your face with them.  Eating a small meal before going to a party will fill up your stomach enough so that you will not eat a handful of cream puffs or a huge plate of dip.  Avoiding the appetizers is also an easy way to not eat them.  Parking yourself in front of a table filled with food will make the temptation to eat high.  Standing across the room or even in a different room completely will take your focus off of all the fatty food you should not be eating and back on having a good time with family and friends.

Watching what you eat during the holidays does not mean you need to avoid drinking altogether.  You can still partake in holiday fun at parties or out at the bar without adding literally hundreds of calories at the end of the day.

Ever wonder why there is not a nutrition chart on the side of a beer can?  Well, if you knew how many calories you were drinking you would not be drinking it.  Just because a beer is “light” does not mean that is necessarily low in calories.  One 12-ounce can of Bud Light is over 100 calories.  This is low compared to other beers, but it is still not the best thing to be drinking.  Some mixed drinks are even worse.  A margarita is over 500 calories and a Long Island is over 700 calories!  A couple of drinks can put you way over the 2,000-calorie mark for the day.  I am not saying not to drink beer or mixed drinks.  If you do want a couple, then add them to your daily calorie count.  There are better options, though.  The lowest calories alcohol I could find is Bacardi Superior, registering at just 65 calories per serving.  Pairing the rum with sugar-free lemonade or a diet soda will allow you to have just as much fun as everyone else without having to wear sweatpants the rest of the season.

Gaining weight during the holiday season does not have to be inevitable.  If you really think about what you are eating and plan ahead, you will be able to enjoy the holidays without the scale going up.  Happy eating and happy holidays!