Start the New Year with a “Resolution” For Weight Management

Here are some easy-to-follow tips for keeping the pounds off this winter despite hectic schedules and tempting treats

Even if “losing weight” has been your New Year’s resolution for more years than you can remember, you may have to find a new goal for 2010. This holiday season, stay ahead of the game by following some simple techniques to prevent those holiday pounds from piling on. You may even find these tips so easy to incorporate into your daily life that weight management will become a no-brainer.

“Cold weather causes us to hibernate indoors. We are less active and we also spend more time socializing and eating,” says Sherry Torkos, well-known pharmacist, fitness instructor and author of Breaking the Age Barrier and Winning at Weight Loss. “It’s no wonder the holiday season can be challenging for those looking to maintain or lose weight. The average person gains approximately two to seven pounds during the winter months.”

Torkos adds that holiday dinner parties and social events create opportunities for overindulging. “The holiday season also can be stressful,” she says, “and stress can fuel overeating and food cravings.”

Torkos has devised a three-step plan for preventing the pounds from piling on over the holidays:

1. Trim the fat from your next holiday meal

• Have a full glass of water before your meal
• Eat slowly – give your belly a chance to send the message to your brain that you are full
• Fill up on greens (beans, broccoli, salad) because these foods are high in nutrients and low in calories
• Choose sweet potatoes over mashed potatoes because they are higher in fiber and lower in the glycemic index
• Go easy on the dinner rolls and stuffing – high in glycemic index and calories
• Minimize butter and gravy – both contain lots of calories from fat
• Choose apple pie (227 calories) over pecan pie (650 calories); avoid the whipped cream (40 calories/tbsp)
• Drink green tea after dinner instead of coffee (green tea aids digestion and boosts metabolism, plus it’s calorie-free)

2. Add these top supplements to help prevent winter weight gain

• Fiber – through food or supplements – helps to keep us feeling full so we are less likely to overeat; also stabilizes blood sugar levels which is important for both emotional and physical well-being
• Carb Neutralizer – an extract of the white bean that may reduce the digestion of starches (foods high in starches include bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta); take just before high-starch meals
• Green tea – boosts metabolism and aids digestion; good source of antioxidants; a great substitute for coffee

3. Stay active even when you are pressed for time and don’t want to spend money at the gym

• Do a 10 minute power walk outdoors, or 10 minute marching or stair climbing indoors
• Follow with 20 leg lunges, 20 push-ups, 20 squats and then repeat this sequence twice (15 minutes). These exercises work multiple muscle groups so that you are getting the most out of your time, plus they don’t require specialized equipment because you are using your own body weight as resistance
• Spend five minutes stretching (top to bottom) – this will also ease the holiday stress and tension which accumulates in our muscles

« Return to ArticlesLearn More About Sherry Torkos »