Holiday Stress – Overeating during the holiday season

The holidays are a time for spending time with family, enjoying great food, and fun times. But there are also many stressful parts of the holiday season that we don’t often talk about.

Common Stressful Situations During the Holiday Season
Buying gifts can be fun but stressful.
Going to the mall where there is lots of food around.
Deciding what to buy for family and friends.
Spending all that money.
Spending time with family
Lots of food around the house.
Old habits get restarted – overeating can be one of them.
Pressure from others to eat and drink food that you normally would avoid.
Stressful family situations.
Lots of candy around at work
Gifts of food received
Lots of food commercials showing your favorite comfort foods.

Being prepared to Avoid temptations and stressors

When going to the mall bring healthy snacks and a bottle of water. This will save you money and calories. It will stop you from going to a vendor to purchase a drink (and then being tempted by the snacks available).

If eating a meal at the mall, choose a restaurant that has healthy food options. If eating in the food court, get a grilled chicken sandwich or grilled chicken on a salad. If eating at a sit down restaurant, be prepared; look at the menu online before going to the mall.

Avoid eating the free samples of food that are all over the place at the mall and in stores.

Purchase gifts online. You will be at home where you have healthier food choices and will also likely spend less money as you will not be tempted by those impulse purchase items.

When with family, have plenty of fruits and vegetables in the house. Stick to eating 3 meals a day with two healthy snacks. Do not snack on the cookies, candy, and leftovers. Instead limit yourself to fruit or a 100 calorie snacks (refer to the 100 calorie snack list).

Try to stay out of the kitchen at your workplace during the holiday season. Co-workers often bring in leftover treats which can be very tempting. Instead bring your lunch with an ice pack and keep it at your desk. Another option is to go out to lunch (and make healthy choices at the restaurant you are eating at).

If you are given a gift of candy, either put it out when others come over to visit, re-gift it, or bring it to work to share with your co-workers. If you keep it in your house, it will be very tempting to eat.

When watching TV, DVR your favorite shows and fast forward the commercials, or have something to keep you busy during the food commercials so that you are not tempted by the food ads.


Do you have any other ideas? Add them to the comment section below on the blog.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season.

The Holidays Are Coming – What Should I Eat?

The holidays are soon approaching. We all look forward to spending time with family and friends, enjoying holiday parties, and eating lots of great food. But, we all know, it can be challenging to eat healthy during the holiday season. There are food temptations all around us, So, how can you be successful? What will you do to stay healthy this holiday season?

Suggestions for success at a holiday celebration

• Eat a healthy breakfast on the day of the party.
• Have a breakfast that includes plenty of protein. Some breakfast ideas include:
  
• Scrambled eggs with fruit and toast
• Yogurt and cereal
• 1 Tbsp peanut butter on whole wheat toast
• Cereal and milk
• Meal Replacement
• Do not skip breakfast and save the calories for later that day. This will lead to overeating at the party; you will be very hungry, the smells and sights of all of the food will increase your hunger, and you will likely make unhealthy food choices.
• Try to exercise the day of the party. You will burn extra calories and will feel good about yourself.
• Do not go to the celebration hungry. This will lead to overeating on the appetizers and snacks. Instead, have a healthy 100 calorie snack that contains protein to help satisfy your hunger. Also, drink a glass of water before going to a party.
• Prepare healthy food items.
• If you are having guests over to your house, prepare some lower calorie appetizers including vegetables and low fat dip, crackers with low fat cheese, sliced apples with yogurt, and shrimp with cocktail sauce.
• If you are going to someone’s house, offer to bring over a vegetable platter and a healthy side dish for dinner. This will allow you some healthy options.
• Have a salad at the beginning of the meal. You can add cranberries and walnuts to give it some added flavor and color.
• Limit yourself to one alcoholic drink. After that drink seltzer water, unsweetened iced tea, or water.
• At a holiday party, choose 1 or 2 things to indulge in (in small portion sizes) and walk past the rest. Moderation is key. For dessert, again, try to eat fruit salad or just choose one dessert and have a small piece.

Meal Ideas for Thanksgiving

• Turkey is often the main dish provided at Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey is high in protein and low in fat. Choose the white meat and be sure to remove the skin. Three ounces of white turkey breast will provide 120 calories and 1 gram of fat.
• Instead of gravy on your turkey, use cranberry sauce. This will provide moisture on the turkey without the added fat from the gravy.
  
• Prepare a healthy salad to eat at the beginning of the meal.
• Serve sweet potatoes, and top with sprinkled cinnamon.
• For dessert, serve fruit salad with whipped cream. Or prepare baked apples with cinnamon. Add a small amount of low fat ice cream. These are healthier dessert items.

What to do around the holiday season

• Be sure you are eating breakfast daily. Skipping meals will lead to overeating throughout the day and lead you to choosing unhealthy snacks that may be around your workplace.
• If eating out more frequently, choose salads with grilled chicken or fish. They will likely be healthier than other food options.
• Try to bring lunch to work during the holidays. This will provide a healthier lunch when lots of temptations are available.
• Bring healthy snacks (look at the 100 calorie snack list). Bring fruit, vegetables, and granola bars to work rather than being tempted by the vending machine or candy around the office.
• Try to stay out of the workplace cafeteria where lots of holiday treats will be available.
• Exercise, exercise, exercise. If you are traveling to visit family or friends, go for a long walk and get some fresh air. If you are at home, be sure to continue or increase the intensity and duration of your regular exercise routine. Burning extra calories will help to reach your weight goals.
• Continue to drink plenty of water. As the weather gets colder, it is often easy to forget to drink water. It is often more comforting to drink lots of coffee to stay warm. Instead try herbal decaffeinated tea to keep warm, and drink water with your meals.

Enjoy the Holidays!

Are You Getting Enough Water

Most of us have heard, “Drink plenty of water everyday”. Everywhere you go you see advertisements for bottled water, water filters, and trendy water based drinks. So you may be asking why do I need water? How much? And what kind is the best? Read below to find out the answers to these questions.


Why Do You Need Water?

Water makes up approximately 60% of your total body weight and is an essential nutrient in the diet (humans need it for survival); however most Americans do not meet the recommended intake of this nutrient.

Water is needed for many functions in the human body including:
• Keeping your body temperature regulated through perspiration.
• Cushions your organs and joints, and acts as a lubricant for your body.
• Carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells in your body and removes waste from your body.
• Helps dissolve nutrients including vitamins and minerals so they can be used by your body.
• Helps to ensure regular bowel activity.
• Helps to curb your appetite.


How Much Water Do You Need?

• It is recommended to have at least 8 eight ounce glasses (2 quarts) of water a day.
• If you are active and/or exercising, are in very warm or cold weather, at high altitudes, pregnant or breastfeeding you need even more water.


What Is Considered a Good Source of Water?

• A glass of water from the tap, bottle, or filtered is a great way to keep you hydrated. It is calorie free, refreshing, and free of charge (if you use tap water). Contrary to what many people believe, you will not gain weight from drinking water. Water will actually help you lose weight as it helps carry waste out of the body through urine, improves bowel regularity, reduces the feeling of bloating, and helps fill you up.
• If you do not like water, any other non-alcoholic and caffeine-free beverage will also help you meet your requirements. Some good sources include juice, herbal tea, low fat or skim milk, seltzer, and soup. These provide additional nutrients along with fluid, but remember, the will also provide calories and therefore portion sizes should be monitored.
• Food with high water content (lettuce, oranges, grapefruit, cucumbers, etc) will also provide plenty of water.


Tips For Increasing Water Intake

• Drink a glass of water when you wake up in the morning.
• Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day and keep refilling it. Be sure to wash out the water bottle daily to avoid bacteria buildup.
• Drink water with your meals.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator. If you do not like plain water, add slices of oranges and lemons for a refreshing drink.
• Keep a glass of water at your desk at work.
• Keep a glass of water at your bedside at night.
• Snack on fruits and vegetables.
• If you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water. Often we think we are hungry when we are actually slightly dehydrated and water will solve the craving.
• Limit caffeine intake, as caffeine is dehydrating and you will need additional water if you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages.
• After you start drinking more water, you will find it gets easier and it becomes a regular part of your day.


Signs Of Not Getting Enough Water (Dehydration)

• Light colored urine is usually a sign of being well hydrated. However, if your urine is dark yellow (except first thing in the morning and/or if you are taking a multivitamin), you are probably not getting enough water.
• If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Therefore drinking water is the best way to prevent this from occurring.
• Your mouth and/or skin may feel dry.
• You may feel tired.
• You may experience a headache.
• You may feel hungry.
These signs may also be a signal of other conditions; so please consult your physician if any of these symptoms are not relieved with increasing water intake and these symptoms persist for an extended period of time.

No Such Thing as Failure – Motivation and Weight Loss

When you choose to begin a weight loss program your level of success will depend on how motivated you are to change - that comes from inside of YOU. Getting focused to lose weight requires a lot of planning and persistence for long term success. Dr. James Prochaska, a psychologist at the University of Rhode Island, recognized that not all individuals that want to change their lifestyle can do so with equal ease. He developed a model, termed The Stages of Change, that reflect the differences in motivation that people have for change. This motivation can fuel change or limit your success. Understanding this model can help you to determine what stage of change you are at, how to get to the next stage, and how to potentially keep the weight off for the long term.

The Stages of Change

Stage #1 - Precontemplation: There is no plan to make a change. Many of you know other people (or have been there yourself) who would benefit from losing weight, but are not interested. There is almost no chance of success for a sustained behavioral change in this stage. But, happily for you, you are not at this stage, as you are motivated to take the weight off.

Stage #2 - Contemplation Most of you were probably here at one point. You realized you needed to lose weight, but were not ready to make a change. You were not ready to start a diet plan, the holidays were coming up, there was a party next week, you were to busy to exercise, etc., but again, you are here at the Center for Medical Weight Loss blog, so you have definitely contemplated making a lifestyle change and are certainly past this level of change.

Stage #3 - Preparation: This is the stage when you are ready to make a change. Many of you were at this stage when you started to research the weight loss programs available in the area. This is a great stage to start talking with nurses, doctors, and dietitians about weight loss options because you are clearly a motivated individual, interested in potential weight loss strategies. This stage really represents research.

Stage #4 - Action: You have decided on a weight loss strategy and are engaged in the program. This includes changing your eating habits, learning coping mechanisms, exercising, attending support groups and seeking support from family, friends, and health professionals. The greater your engagement in the path you have chosen for weight loss the more likely you are to become even more motivated – adding to your potential success at changing bad habits and leading you to a healthier and happier lifestyle. Although reaching the action stage is fantastic (you are clearly motivated) there are challenges at hand! Going out to dinner with family or friends, boredom, or just constantly thinking about the foods you shouldn't eat are all common and difficult situations to deal with as you are making a real lifestyle change. Keeping a journal, talking with family or friends, and participating in a weight loss support group can help tremendously with these obstacles. At this stage, it is important to focus on the emotional side of eating and understanding what motivates you to overeat. By understanding these food cues, you can develop coping strategies that do not include food.

Stage #5 - Maintenance: After reaching your weight goals you now need to focus on maintaining this targeted weight. This is one of the most important and often forgotten stages. It is often easy to fall back into old habits. It requires a continued commitment to making a lifestyle change for the long term. Continue to follow the skills you learned in the action stage -keep a food journal, continue to attend to your support system, exercise, weigh yourself on a regular basis, and follow up with your physician or dietitian on a regular basis. These are all essential elements to maintaining your success.

Stage #6 - Relapse: Failure in maintaining your new habits that support your new targeted weight is considered relapse (you don’t need to regain all the weight you lost, just lose the wonderful habits you fostered along the way!). Unfortunately, it is a part of the stages of change that many people experience, but the reaction to the stage will lead to either a further Relapse or bring you back into the Action and Maintenance stages. The most important thing to remember is that it is alright to relapse. A relapse is like falling off of a bike. The best thing to do is get right back on the bike and continue riding to where you were heading (action and maintenance) instead of focusing on the fall (relapse). Whether you ate something off of your eating plan for a meal, a day or a week, you can start again new the next meal or day. Focus on why the relapse occurred and use it as an opportunity to improve your habit formation during both the Action and Maintenance stages. Support groups, visits to the doctor or dietitian, and keeping a food journal are very important in preventing a relapse. Sometimes, you may experience a day of overeating and worry that you failed and you want to throw in the towel – DON’T. It is important to start the next day anew, and go back to the Planning, Action and Maintenance stages realizing that whether you had a hard day, week, or month, you can always remedy your situation with greater insight and motivation than you had the first time around.