5 Slimming Secrets for the Holiday Season

Is your holiday season filled with hard-to-resist party cheese trays, bowls of nuts, boxes of chocolates and lots of social gatherings centered around food and alcohol? If this is true for you and you’re worried about your weight, then you’ll want to read this article.

People gain on average 5 to 10 pounds over the holiday season, and if you know that you’re likely to be one of them, know that getting those post-holiday pounds off can get more and more difficult especially with age. Here are 5 simple tricks to help you stay slim and smile back at that scale this holiday season.

Tip #1: Avoid standing or sitting too close to the foods you find hardest to resist

If you stand too close to the food and snack tables where you can not only see your favourite trouble foods, but also have them at arm’s length, then you are simply setting yourself up for torture. It is much better to purposely position yourself so that you don’t have the food right in front of you and within easy reach. Stand on the other side of the room if you need to. This way if you are going to go for more food, you at least have a chance to think it through without mindlessly reaching for handful after handful. This tip is especially useful with finger foods, nuts, cheese and chocolate where it is all too easy to keep reaching for more without have a clue how much you actually ate.

Tip #2: Avoid going to a party on an empty stomach

This may sound simple enough, but often times we avoid eating too much throughout the day if we know we are going to a party in the evening where they’ll be serving food. This is a HUGE mistake when you’re watching your weight and your health for that matter. What ends up happening is you are so hungry by the time you get there, you’ll eat anything in sight without giving too much thought to it. Next thing you know you’ve over-indulged in either less than healthy choices and/or too big portion sizes. This is also very hard on your digestive system so it’s not just about your weight, but also on your body’s ability to process the food effectively.

Tip #3: Drink lots of water

Another mistake people make is they end up either having too much alcohol or soft drinks either filled with sugar or aspartame. Although those diet soft drinks may seem like a healthier choice, they can actually increase your sugar cravings so you end up over-indulging on desserts. You’re much better off to stick to water or club soda to stay hydrated and counter-balance the dehydrating effect of alcohol.

Tip #4: Bring a healthy choice

People are organizing potluck dinners more and more these days to alleviate some of the work and preparation for the host or hostess. If you are watching your weight and trying to eat better, then why not be the one to bring the salad plate or fruit bowl? This way you know you’ll at least have some healthier choices.

Tip #5: Incorporate some physical activity

Instead of just sitting around talking or watching movies, why not put on some dance music and get moving? Or, plan to get a group together and go for a nice walk in the crisp air after the meal. It will not only help you digest, but it will be refreshing as well and help you burn off a few of those excess calories you may have eaten.

These are just a few simple tips to keep in mind. The main thing is to have fun, but be mindful of your choices.

Roslyn Franken is a proud cancer survivor who has also triumphed over her own battles with food, weight and lifestyle obstacles. She provides Motivational Speaking and Weight Loss Coaching services using the principles found in her book, The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living. Roslyn is also the host of How to Thrive after 35 Talk Radio and co-author of Death Can Wait: Stories from Cancer Survivors. For more information, visit
www.roslynfranken.com