Leisure officers have issued a ten
point plan to keep weight gain at Christmas to a
minimum!
They say it’s not necessary to starve in the
run up to the festive season if the tips are followed:
- If eating out, or eating more than one course
at home, start with soup or a salad as this will fill you up so
that you don’t over indulge for the next two courses – you might
not even want a sweet
- Practice ‘mindful eating’ – or avoiding
mindless snacking in front of the TV. Think about what you
are eating and why - do you really want or need what you are
eating?
- Eat low GI (Glycaemic Index) foods before setting off for a
party. Eating wholegrain foods, vegetables or a handful of
unsalted nuts will make sure that you don’t arrive at the party
absolutely starving and ready to eat anything and everything on
offer
- Don’t starve yourself all day in anticipation of a huge blow
out in the evening. You are far better off eating small meals or
snacks during the day
- Everyone’s first instinct with a buffet is to have something of
everything and pile your plate high. Don’t…make up your mind
before you go that you will choose three things from the buffet and
stick to those three things, plus salads
- Don’t confuse hunger for thirst – try having a non-alcoholic
drink before you reach for the biscuit tin. Most of us do not
reach the recommended levels of eight glasses of water a day and
therefore spend most of our lives de-hydrated
- Insufficient sleep affects both metabolism and hormone
function. Your body will try to compensate for fatigue by
sending out false hunger signals, resulting in increased food
intake.
- One meal is not a diet-buster so don’t feel that your good
intentions are blown and therefore you may as well indulge
recklessly for the rest of the holiday. It takes 3,500 extra
calories to put on one pound of fat !
- If there is a food that you know you cannot resist, don’t buy
it.
- Try not to become a couch potato - lack of movement paired with
an increased food intake are the main cause of the Christmas
bulge. Get off the sofa during advert breaks, make sure you
get out for at least one reasonably paced 20 minute walk a day and
keep active.
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