Holiday Weight Loss Worries – Why You Need To Indulge Holidays

It is common thing for nearly every person who overindulges during the holiday seasons to realize that they have gained some weight after they are over. However, even health experts aren’t concerned with overindulging once in a while although they warn of overdoing it.

According to Charlotte Markey, a psychology professor practicing at Rutgers University and who is scheduled to release a book titled “Smart People Don’t Diet: How the Latest Science Can Help You Lose* Weight Permanently,” allowing yourself to overindulge a bit during holidays can eventually go a long way in helping you keep off the extra pounds.

See Also: 8 Winter Weight Loss Tips – Learn To Shed Your Pounds!

Keep Off the Guilt
Weight Loss Journey
Markey told TODAY that there is no need of feeling guilty just because you have enjoyed yourself. Such a feeling can be counterproductive in your weight loss* journey and end up messing your whole plan, added Markey.

She noted that there is need to sort of acknowledge it’s the merry time of the year when you should take a little more food for fun, although you should not think about it so much.

Whereas you don’t have to overindulge in unhealthy food choices all the time, doing it once in a while during this month can’t lead to significant weight gain, she added.

Research Findings
A Study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009 indicated that people don’t usually gain much weight during the holiday season as it has always being thought. According to the findings, majority of participants gained less than a pound over the period between Thanksgiving and early January

Most people gain an average of 1.5 pounds during the holiday seasons, according to another study conducted by a professor at Texas Tech University in 2009.

Holiday Challenges
However determined you could be, it is quite difficult to stick to a healthy diet during the holidays. But it isn’t hard to have some fun without straying from your healthy diet habits according to Elisa Zeid, RD, and author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips. It is possible to overindulge without affecting your weight or even shed pounds in the New Year.
Always beware of the fact that nearly a third of the U.S citizens are obese with studies showing that weight gain during holidays can account for your annual weight change.

Watch this Video: How to Stay Motivated with Weight Loss through the Holidays?

Dodging the Holiday Pounds
It is therefore important to come up with a realistic plan if you want to dodge holiday pounds. You can try the following:

Portion Control: According to Markey, you should aim at ensuring* that you don’t take more than the usual portion per sitting.
Instead of swearing not to have certain food groups, go for them but avoid the temptation of consuming more than one or two portions once in a while, Markey advises.
Exercise Regularly: You might miss out your workout regimen during the holidays when you are out there having fun with friends or family members. You should go that extra mile during the holidays. For instance, you can assign yourself an extra 10 minutes in the gym every time you hit out.
Weigh Regularly: This will help you notice whether you are still in the right course and if not, what you should do. According to Michael Dansinger, MD, and assistant Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, weighing yourself doesn’t have to be so often, but you should step on the scale in the morning once every week on an empty stomach
Realistic Plan
Realistic Plan
If you would like to be successful in keeping off the extra holiday pounds, you should adopt a realistic plan that is not so restrictive, according to Markey. If you swear by not going to take a dessert, chances are high that you will find yourself going for two helpings.

Markey advises that you shouldn’t turn to restrictive diets come January when dieting gains momentum once again. Such a sudden shift can be the wrong path to failure, she adds. According to Markey, dieting can ruin your weight loss* program as it only makes you crave for more junk foods or binge.

You should be worried about having some good stuff as long as you do it in moderation. Avoid overindulging at all cost and don’t feel deprived as well. Markey believes that there should be a convenient way of doing it during the holidays.

Stick To Plan
If you are the resolute type, you can opt to stick to your diet plan regardless of the holiday season. This can be good for you but not everyone can make it. Even when you are out for a party, you can still opt to types of eat healthy food. Although the temptations can sometimes be overwhelming, staying focused on why you want to keep off the extra pounds can help you stick to the plan. You won’t have to struggle losing weight when the holidays are over.