Courtesy of Dr Ray Ishman:
Once again, it’s that time of year where there is a tendency to indulge a little more than usual on the foods, and slack a little on the exercise. The thing I hear most is “I will start back up after the New Year.” The problem is that Thanksgiving to New Years is 6 weeks. You can do a lot of damage in that length of time which takes months to undo. I am totally in favor of taking breaks from your nutrition plan, but 2-3 days a couple of times a year would be all I would advise. So, I’ve put together a little Holiday Cheat Sheet:
1. Maybe the most important tip: Do NOT sit down to the table STARVING.
On Thanksgiving for example, most people will eat breakfast say 7 or 8am, and then don’t eat anything until dinner, which is usually anywhere from 2-6 pm. That’s a long time to go hungry. The tendency is to then eat too much, too fast, not allowing your body to sense that you are full until you have already overeaten.
TIP: Eat your typical lunch, even if dinner is only 3 hours away. A protein shake prior to Thanksgiving Dinner can dull that famished feeling so you aren’t as likely to overeat. Forget the old “don’t ruin your dinner” advice.
2. Eat slowly: This is easier if you follow tip 1, because you wont be starving. Eating slowly helps allow your body to sense that it is getting full making you less likely to overeat.
TIP: Engage in conversations (it’s difficult to talk with a mouth full of food, and vice versa).
3. MEAT, MEAT, MEAT! Protein is tough for our bodies to break down. The thermogenic effect of feeding of protein is 15%. So for example you eat 100 calories of protein your body will need 15 calories just to digest the food. So the net caloric intake is 85 calories. Fat and carbohydrates take much less energy to digest, and carbs stimulate insulin release which stores fat!
4. Don’t forget to exercise! I know that during the Holidays, the gym schedules aren’t very convenient. But you can easily get quick routines done in the comfort of your own home.
Try this: 5 pushups, 10 sit-ups, 15 squats is one round. Complete 5 rounds as quickly as you can.
I don’t want to take away your Holiday fun. However, it’s very easy to put on 10+ pounds over the Holiday Season, but a lot harder to take them off. Enjoy the upcoming Holidays. Just be mindful of portion sizes and use some of the tips above. It is ok to enjoy a piece of pie, some cookies, or even macaroni and cheese, etc. Once the day is over get back to eating well. The longer you get away from the low glycemic routine, the harder it is to get back on track.
Happy Holidays
