Holiday Waistline Control

Rather than freaking out about the extra pounds in January, try to prevent putting them on during the holidays by eating in moderation and staying active. Here are 10 easy tips to cap off 2008 without any inches added to your waistline.

Limit your alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks are high in sugar and calories, so save those for special occasions only. Be reasonable and limit yourself to two glasses.

Choose your foods wisely. You know which foods are healthy and which are not; so when at the buffet table, stick to choosing the healthier options.

Eat a balanced diet. If you ate in excess at a family dinner one evening, eat lighter, healthier meals the next day to balance your system. Some great choices include teas, soups, fruits and veggies. Also, when anticipating an evening of heavy eating, try the same tactic the day before.

Move daily. Even if you don’t have the time to hit the gym, put aside 15 minutes every morning to do a few basic exercises, such as push-ups and sit-ups. 

Turn everything you can into a workout. The holidays are a pretty hectic period. However, shopping, cleaning, decorating, shovelling show—these are all activities that make you burn calories.

Reduce portions. It’s sometimes hard to resist all sorts of goodies laid out in front of you, especially with appetizers and desserts. A good rule of thumb is to try a bit of everything, but in small quantities. For example, allow yourself a truffle or a chocolate martini, but only one of each. You’ll also savour them much more.

Get out of the house. A sure-fire way to pack on the pounds is by staying locked inside the house. Simply getting out of the house for some fresh air and a stroll will give you loads of benefits. One, you won’t be sitting and munching on a bag of chips during that time, and two, an hour of walking can burn up to 200 calories.

Avoid snacking. It’s usually snacks and appetizers that cause us to accumulate more calories than actual meals. A bite here, a nibble there… and they usually aren’t the healthiest choices. Save the eating for when your meal is sitting in front of you, or try nibbling on fruits and veggies instead.

Don’t forget to hydrate. Water and other hypocaloric drinks (like tea) will be a big help during the holiday period. These liquids will cut your appetite and eliminate toxins from your system.

Eat before the big meal. Don’t make the mistake of fasting before the big meal or skipping a meal, thinking you’ll eat enough later on.  In actual fact, when you do this, you‘ll end up eating absolutely large quantities of the first thing in sight. Snack on some fruit, or cheese and unsalted crackers two hours before your meal. You’ll then be able to make better eating choices.