Thursday, December 16, 2004
Don't Pack on Pounds for Holidays
With the winter holidays come an abundance of goodies usually enjoyed but once a year.
Whether it's an elaborate dinner with all the trimmings or a gift box of gourmet chocolates, the temptations can weaken even the most strong-willed weight watchers.
But if you're smart about it, you can enjoy your holiday favorites without adding pounds.
Walter R. Thompson, a professor of nutrition and kinesiology and health at Georgia State University, says it boils down to a simple equation: "Weight loss is a matter of a balance between energy intake and energy expended." Even he, though, is prone to letting his guard down.
It's commonly assumed that the average American gains 5 pounds or more between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Not so, according to researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Their study, published several years ago in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that people actually gain much less. But over the years, holiday weight gains seem to stick with people. That may account for the substantial increase in body weight that frequently occurs in adulthood, they concluded.
The authors measured weight gain in a sample of 195 adults from September through March, and 165 people returned in June and September or October for follow-up measurements. Participants gained an average of roughly 1 pound in the September to March period, with 75 percent of that gain occurring over the holiday period.
On average, people gained 1.36 pounds over the year, meaning the weight put on during the winter months isn't shed during the spring and summer, the authors say. Those gains appear to be cumulative. For people who are already overweight or obese, the holiday season may pose a special risk, the authors note, because that extra weight puts them at higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other conditions.
Wouldn't it make sense, then, to go into the holidays with a diet plan for keeping that extra weight off?
"I'm actually looking forward to trying to do it healthy this year," says Joanne Lupton, a professor of nutrition at Texas A&M University.
Lupton won't be going to elaborate lengths to entertain her loved ones this year. She's keeping it simple, offering healthful side dishes and low-fat fillers before big meals such as cut-up veggies and salsa as a dip. And she may suggest taking a walk in the neighborhood afterward.
"It's very easy to sit down and eat 4,000 calories at a (holiday) dinner," Lupton acknowledges. Although turkey is a fine, low-fat main course, all the extras, such as chips and dip and calorie-laden side dishes, can set you back, she says. Most women who aren't very active can eat only 2,000 calories without gaining weight, she says.
Also, there are a lot of Weight Loss Medications that can help you.
Whether it's an elaborate dinner with all the trimmings or a gift box of gourmet chocolates, the temptations can weaken even the most strong-willed weight watchers.
But if you're smart about it, you can enjoy your holiday favorites without adding pounds.
Walter R. Thompson, a professor of nutrition and kinesiology and health at Georgia State University, says it boils down to a simple equation: "Weight loss is a matter of a balance between energy intake and energy expended." Even he, though, is prone to letting his guard down.
It's commonly assumed that the average American gains 5 pounds or more between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Not so, according to researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Their study, published several years ago in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that people actually gain much less. But over the years, holiday weight gains seem to stick with people. That may account for the substantial increase in body weight that frequently occurs in adulthood, they concluded.
The authors measured weight gain in a sample of 195 adults from September through March, and 165 people returned in June and September or October for follow-up measurements. Participants gained an average of roughly 1 pound in the September to March period, with 75 percent of that gain occurring over the holiday period.
On average, people gained 1.36 pounds over the year, meaning the weight put on during the winter months isn't shed during the spring and summer, the authors say. Those gains appear to be cumulative. For people who are already overweight or obese, the holiday season may pose a special risk, the authors note, because that extra weight puts them at higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other conditions.
Wouldn't it make sense, then, to go into the holidays with a diet plan for keeping that extra weight off?
"I'm actually looking forward to trying to do it healthy this year," says Joanne Lupton, a professor of nutrition at Texas A&M University.
Lupton won't be going to elaborate lengths to entertain her loved ones this year. She's keeping it simple, offering healthful side dishes and low-fat fillers before big meals such as cut-up veggies and salsa as a dip. And she may suggest taking a walk in the neighborhood afterward.
"It's very easy to sit down and eat 4,000 calories at a (holiday) dinner," Lupton acknowledges. Although turkey is a fine, low-fat main course, all the extras, such as chips and dip and calorie-laden side dishes, can set you back, she says. Most women who aren't very active can eat only 2,000 calories without gaining weight, she says.
Also, there are a lot of Weight Loss Medications that can help you.
