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Holiday Weight Control: Dos and Do
Nots!
Winter holidays, and perhaps all holidays in general, can
overwhelm individuals; especially those who are trying to lose
weight. Excess is a part of the holidays, big meals are cooked
and caution is thrown to the wind when it comes to eating. Many
people, even those on diets are more easily drawn to unhealthy
foods and use the holidays as an excuse to eat – and
potentially to gain back some weight that they worked so hard
to lose. Other individuals may have been fit and healthy prior
to the holidays, but as with other individuals, if the fit
people have no indiscretions when it comes to eating, they may
put on additional weight that they were not prepared for before
the holidays.
First of all, it is important for dieters to make sure that
they do not just go to holiday parties without a plan. This can
be overwhelming and lead to an individual not eating healthily.
Although some people may want to ignore sticking to a diet
because of the holidays, the best thing to do is to have a plan
ready for when they go to parties. This helps to insure that
the individual has a plan for eating and staying in control of
their weight.
This does not mean that people should be ignoring their holiday
favorites when it comes to food. Certain foods and drinks are
only available during holiday seasons. In the winter, for
example, there are plenty of stores that carry eggnog. This is
a delicious drink for many people, although not one of the
healthiest. The biggest thing to consider over the holidays is
that things can be had, but in moderation – just like every
other season and time of year. One should not deprive
themselves of the things that they like the most.
When this happens, individuals are more likely to completely
ignore their diets. If they feel like they have already lost
because they ate something that they really love, but which is
not healthy for them, they may feel like the battle is already
lost and there’s no point in denying themselves any further.
People need to realize that they can have the delicious treats
they love, just in moderation and not a pan of cookies at a
time.
Dieters can make a mental list of what they like and what they
want to sample at the beginning of the season. This way, when
they see foods they know whether or not they planned to eat
them. Individuals who like a food most will remember the food
and be consciously aware that they want to eat it. This way, if
they see another food that is not healthy or naturally good for
them, the person can decide not to eat it because they are
waiting for the food that they remember which would probably
taste better to the dieter if it is a favorite snack or
meal.
Remember, dieters are human and no one is perfect. Just because
a person makes a mistake does not mean that they should be
punished, especially if a dieter is trying to make it through
the tough holiday season.
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