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Avoiding Holiday
Weight Gain
As Fall Marathon season wraps
up and many of us take a break from our high mileage
training schedules, we also find ourselves deep in
the season of overeating. The average American
gains 6-12 pounds between November and January…and
the really bad news is that most are not able to
lose it all afterwards. A pound or two a year can
quickly add up to a weight problem.
Some runners and triathletes
don’t mind a little weight gain in the slow season
because losing it for spring training can make you
feel especially light and energetic. However, it is
a lot easier to put it on than to take it off, so
here are some ideas to minimize the impact of
holiday feasting.
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Keep exercising. Even if your
training schedule doesn’t include a lot of mileage,
include other physical activity like walking.
Ø
Take a 10 minute walk before and after
your Thanksgiving / Christmas / holiday party. A
walk and a breath of fresh air can do wonders to
prevent overeating and/or to damage control the
overeating you have already done!
Ø
Most appetizers can do more calorie
damage than the main course. Whether you are the
host/hostess or a guest, prepare a healthy veggie
platter with low-fat dips like fat free dressing or
hummus.
Ø
Use a smaller plate to control portion
size.
Ø
Most people overeat at the holidays
because there is a lot of variety. If you do feel
the need to taste everything, be especially aware of
your portions.
Ø
Fill at least half of your plate with
the vegetable dishes. Veggies will always help
lower the total calorie impact of a meal.
Ø
Pay attention while you eat. Chew
slowly and stop when you are full.
Ø
Keep your hands and mouth busy with a
glass of sparkling water.
Ø
Don’t starve yourself in anticipation
of a big dinner. This always fails to save calories
as you arrive hungry and can’t help but scarf down
lots of appetizers
Ø
Send guests home with leftovers.
Leftovers can turn one day of overeating into
several days of overeating.
Ø
Watch out for food at the office.
Major damage can be done from weeks of subconscious
snacking on holiday cookies. Keep healthy foods at
your desk or bring in a basket of apples to share as
alternatives to the high-fat, high-sugar fare that
usually turns up.
Don’t
beat yourself up about overeating days, just keep
aware and plan for some early season races to stay
motivated!!
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As Chuck’s Nutrition Coach, I am here to
offer sensible eating advice for Chuckit
runners. I have Bachelors and Masters
Degrees in nutrition and am a Certified
Nutritionist in Washington State and have
done clinical research and worked in private
practice. My nutrition philosophy centers
on eating whole foods to achieve optimum
health and I love working with runners. I
will be writing new articles for the website
each month and am happy to tailor them to
topics which interest you, so please let me
know if there are any specific subjects you
would like me to cover. You can reach me by
e mail at
jenniferbeck13@msn.com. I am also a
regular Chuckit runner, so you can always
talk to me at practice as well. |
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