The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Are you overweight? Have you just lost weight? With the holidays here, watch out. It is not going to be easy. A recent study conducted by Brown Medical School found that people who were formerly overweight, even though they exercised more and paid more attention to weight and eating during the holidays, still gained weight. Imagine if they didnÕt pay attention! Here is a Òcheat sheetÓ to help you avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season: Take photos of everything you eat every single day from Thanksgiving until New YearÕs. A study reported in the International Journal of Consumer Studies found that taking pictures of everything you eat helps to rein in dietary indulgences. Reason? Snapping before you eat means that you stop and think about what youÕre about to consume. Find a buddy Ð a friend or significant other Ð to help you power through this ÒroughÓ time so that you donÕt gain weight. You can text, e-mail and phone each other about your exercise and eating habits, share healthy holiday recipes and work out together. As a reminder not to overindulge, put on your skinniest jeans the day of any holiday event. Go to the Net. There are many great places to find healthful recipes these days. Web sites such as www.allrecipes.com, www.myrecipes.com, www.epicurious.com and www.foodnetwork.co have thousands of recipes to select from. Put in key words such as holiday, healthy, or Christmas. If there was ever a time to increase your exercise, itÕs now. Join a gym for the month. Even if youÕre visiting family, make sure to investigate a month- or week-long membership. Have a bit of extra cash? Hire a personal trainer three days a week for the six weeks before New YearÕs. Look for someone who is certified. If you prepay the trainer youÕll be less likely to cancel the sessions. ThereÕs nothing like money to get us motivated. Buy or rent a DVD. There are now thousands of workout DVDs to choose from. Not that those Jane Fonda videos were bad, but fitness DVDs have come a long way since then. Give away every food gift you receive. Donate them to friends or co-workers or, even better, to an organization that feeds the hungry. Remember, when you drink more, you eat more. A recent study reported in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that when you drink alcohol, you eat more. Researchers divided participants into two groups; one group was given alcohol and the other had no alcohol. When both groups were given candy, the alcohol group ate a significant amount more. Alcohol is double trouble Ñ it lowers your inhibitions so you eat more, plus every drink is loaded with calories. If you do drink, stick to wine and low-calorie beer. ÊThe holidays are a very busy time. WeÕre all constantly on the go Ñ shopping, planning holiday parties, more shopping and visiting relatives. This is a good time to stock up on a selection of quick-to-fix, healthful frozen meals. Also, soups make great starters Ñ just be sure you stick to those with fewer than 70 calories per cup. The holidays are food pushersÕ favourite time to pounce. Learn and practice the word ÒnoÓ Ñ or even better, Òno, thanks.Ó Eat breakfast, but not just any breakfast; make sure itÕs low in carbs and fat, and high in protein.
