Post Holiday Weight Loss Tips
 Let's face it – we all have a tendency to “gross out” on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and for many people, the holiday season becomes a day-by-day ritual of consuming cookies, pastries and other holiday treats. Unfortunately, the cumulative results of holiday weight gain add up over the years, making a major contribution to our national epidemic of “excess baggage” around the waistline.
The following pointers are offered in the spirit of helping you shed those extra pounds you may have put on during the holidays. At the same time, I'd like to encourage you to do a bit of lifestyle fine-tuning that will serve you well throughout the new year.
• Get moving, and cut back on the cals – Nutritionists and exercise physiologists recommend brisk walking 30-45 minutes a day, 5-7 days a week, for overall fitness and conditioning benefits. If walking isn't your bag, try jogging, swimming, aerobic dance or whatever.
The important thing is to get into the habit of consistently exercising on a daily basis. Choose an exercise that you enjoy so that you will stick with it. Start your program with manageable doses and build up. For example, if you opt for brisk walking, start with 10-15 minutes, adding another 5-10 minutes to your daily walk each week until you reach your desired goal of walking 30-45 minutes each day.
While you're at it, come up with a sensible game plan for reining in the calories. You don't need to get obsessive here. When I'm in a weight loss mode, I cut my lunch back to half a sandwich and an apple, while eating a modest breakfast and supper, and laying low on deserts. After a couple of days my stomach shrinks to accommodate the decreased food intake and I hardly notice the difference.
• Eat mindfully – A key reason why most Americans are overweight is that we eat simultaneously while doing a million and one other things – watching TV, reading the paper, working at our desk, etc. Unfortunately, when we don't concentrate on eating, per se, we tune out our body's signals that say, “OK, I've had enough!”
The way to break this cycle is to SLOW DOWN and focus your full awareness on the act of eating, by consciously chewing your food and noticing its taste and texture. Make it a point to consciously enjoy each bite of food, rather than gulping it down. Try this, and you'll begin to notice that you're naturally eating less and enjoying your meals more. Another key to eating mindfully is making a conscious choice to consume smaller portions. Try eating from a smaller plate – it really works!
• Eat the right foods – We're not talking rocket science here. Simply revisit the basic food pyramid and proceed accordingly. Very Important: If you get your five servings of veggies and fruits daily, you'll fill up on these and automatically cut back on the high cal/high fat stuff. “Just say no” to those extra goodies floating around your home and workplace, and say “yes” to the slimmer you that you are creating!
• Other pointers – Be sure to get adequate rest and don't short-change yourself in the sleep department. When we don't get enough sleep, the appetite center of our brain gets thrown off balance, and we consequently tend to eat more. Also, work on breaking the habit of “junk food binging” when you're feeling overly stressed. Instead, take a walk or calm yourself down by taking several slow deep breaths.
• Set a realistic weight loss goal and don't be discouraged by occasional setbacks – Crash diets just don't work. A realistic weight loss goal is 1 –1 ½ pounds a week, attainable through a combination of exercise and reduced caloric intake. Again, we're not talking rocket science. Just stick with your plan, monitor your weight at a set time each week, and don't beat yourself up if you occasionally backslide.
Finally, choose to brighten up your day by giving yourself some non-food rewards. A hug from a friend or co-worker, playing with your pet, or taking a daily break to watch the sunset or play your favorite musical instrument, are all great examples. Shifting from eating to non-food rewards can help make your weight loss program as enjoyable as possible.
In summary, with a bit of planning and focused follow through, you can easily get your new year off to a healthy start and get back on track in the weight maintenance department. Just remember – enjoy the process, and easy does it!
John Newport is a regular contributor to Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, and author of The Wellness-Recovery Connection – a book that makes excellent post-holiday reading for anyone who wants to take charge of their health!
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