How to Dodge Those Extra Pounds During the Holidays {Guest Post}

Guest Post By Dr. Steven Hendrick, MD

Detroit Medical Center

Board certified general- and bariatric surgeon

They asked me for five tips to avoid weight gain during the holidays but I got carried away. So here are five CATEGORIES of tips.

MIND YOUR PLATES AND GLASSES

If there are small and large plates at the buffet, take the small one. Don’t refill it.
At a party, keep a glass of water in your hand. It’s almost impossible to hold a plate at the same time.
Watch out for liquid calories. An ounce of alcohol has the same calories as an ounce of pure fat.

SHOP SMART

Lots of stores offer free samples or high-calorie quick treats. Beware! Instead, sit down and have a nice salad for lunch while you strategize the rest of your shopping.
Park far from the door to the mall for more exercise.
Carry healthy snacks, like carrot sticks or rice cakes.

BE MINDFUL

Don’t wait until you’re making new year’s resolutions. Start your food diary today. If you bite it, write it. Let the record of what you ate today be your warning for tomorrow.

FOOL YOURSELF

Drink lots of water. Often when we think we’re hungry we’re really thirsty.
Wear fitted clothes to a party or tighten your belt an extra notch. You’ll feel full sooner.

HAVE FUN

Go for a walk or ice skating or have a snowball fight with the kids. Guess what? Exercising in the cold burns extra calories.
And last but not least: Remember what’s important during the holidays: Friends and family. Let them bring you joy, not what’s on the table.

Happy holidays!