Coping with Holiday Feasting
Ellen Coleman, RD, MA, MPH © 2004

Department store lines, credit card bills, and your waistline. These things increase during the holiday season. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about the first two. But the third is well within your control.

The battle, however, isn't easy. As the holidays approach, several factors conspire to cause weight gain. Daylight hours become scarce, robbing you of potential training time. The weather in much of the U.S. turns a cold shoulder, making outdoor games and workouts difficult. And the social climate changes as well, with office parties, family gatherings, bowl games, and New Year's Eve -- each of which commonly features large amounts of fattening food and alcohol. By the time normalcy returns in January, the damage is done and you may be lugging around several extra pounds.

Fortunately, there is a way to enjoy all the holiday revelry without gaining weight. It just takes planning.

For instance, to avoid overloading on empty calories, make your first party drink a non-alcoholic, non-caloric beverage such as mineral water or diet soda. By starting your evening this way, you'll fill up and won't feel like drinking as much later. The advantages are two-fold. Your appetite won't intensify as it does when you drink alcohol and you'll avoid those empty calories from alcohol or soda. Alcohol promotes eating by reducing inhibitions and will-power.

Next: "Sweets"