Want to avoid the ghost of Christmas Repast — those extra pounds gifted you during the holidays?
Pile on exercise, water and fiber. Hit the healthier desserts and hide from fatty foods, experts say.
They also note that Texans are prone to gain even more than the national average of 7 holiday pounds, what with tortilla chips, salsa, fried turkey and pecan pie served in ample Lone Star portions.
“We eat some hefty meals around here,” Lynn Maarouf, dietitian and educator at the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Stark Diabetes Center in Galveston, said. “We are all inclined to eat more when there is an abundance of food in front of us.”
The holidays bring out the best in food, Dr. Steve Rosenbaum, assistant professor of medicine and section chief of general internal medicine at the Baylor Clinic in Houston, said in a news release. “Thanksgiving kicks off a six-week long food fest.”
Both Maarouf and Rosenbaum have lists of definite survival methods for the holiday reveler.
Here are their Top Ten Belly Busters.
1: Exercise. The best time is before a big meal. “It gets your metabolism revved to burn off those calories faster,” Maarouf said. Exercise can also help your attitude. “Many studies suggest that exercise helps our body make endorphins — the natural mood elevators that calm us and reduce our feelings of stress,” she said.
2: Fiber. Breakfast cereal with at least eight grams of fiber, beans, black-eyed peas, greens, whole grain breads and whole wheat tortillas add fiber to the holiday mix and help you feel less hungry.
3: Water. “More water makes us feels less hungry, so water is essential at times of the year when tempting food is everywhere,” Maarouf said. Flavored waters can be calorie free, but sodas and liquor are not. “Each 12-ounce soda equals 24 minutes of walking for us girls and it takes 20 minutes of walking for men to burn it off,” she said. “Ditto with alcohol. It would take about an hour to walk off the calories in three alcohol-containing drinks, unless you are planning to dance away the calories.”
4: Healthier desserts. Pumpkin and sweet potato pie are sources of fiber and are lower in fat and sugar than cheesecakes and pecan pies. Sugar substitutes like Equal or Splenda have healthy dessert recipes posted on their Web sites (www.equal.com and www.splenda.com). Substitute low fat or skim milk for whole milk, and substitute whole milk for cream in most recipes.
5: Reasonable portions. “With your first serving, take an adequate amount,” Rosenbaum said. “Do not overload.”
6: Slow second helpings. Allow 10 or 15 minutes to decide if you really want to go back for more. “Sit and enjoy the company; engage in conversation or have a cup of coffee,” Rosenbaum said.
7: Low-fat foods. Go easy on fried foods, chips, pizza, salad dressings and cheeses.
8: Healthy snacks. Raw vegetables make good munchies.
9: Avoiding family pressure. If a family member wants you to try an item, take a small portion.
10: Plenty of sleep. When we don’t get enough sleep, levels of a hormone called cortisol increase and can promote weight gain, Maarouf said. “Think about it — don’t you deserve a break, maybe even a nap or two?”
