Survival tips to minimize weight gain during the holidays

The holiday season is here, and with it comes numerous parties with tons of food that could make one forget his or her diet.

Food plays a vital part of many holidays, family celebrations and cultural traditions.
As the holidays present the perfect time for families and relatives to get together, you could not shake your head to refuse invitations that comes your way. If you don’t learn the meaning of “moderation” but just give in to the temptation of gorging up on all the bounties laid on the table on every party, prepare for the day of reckoning.
You may have not worked out the excess weight you have gained during Thanksgiving, and come January, when all parties are over, you think that all that is left are photos and memories of the feasts you have partaken of but you’re wrong.
You gasp in dismay as you step on the scale and hear groaning, not from you but from the scale. Sounds familiar?
Registered dietician Dianne C. Esplin, the Women, Infants and Children’s Clinic Manager said that you can indulge in the holiday feasts without having to feel guilty afterward, as long as you stick to some rules. Here are some tips Esplin recommends to follow.
SURVIVAL TIPS
*Fill your plate with colorful vegetables and fruits.
*Minimize the sauces, gravies and fried foods.
*Have a green salad with a light dressing, and a large glass of water as a first course to take the edge off of your hunger.
*Don’t deprive yourself of things you like, but have a small serving or “just a bite”.
*Beware of appetizers. You can overdo it on really fast on those fried or creamy tidbits. Have one and savor it.
This may be easier said than done, especially for sweet-toothed individuals and appetizers are usually served in such mouth-watering presentations it’s hard to say no, but just be careful not to overdo it.
The sad part is the excess weight you gain between Thanksgiving and the New Year parties tend to stay. It’s so easy to acquire excess weight but so hard to work them off.
Finally, keep in mind that there are more important things in parties than food. Relax and go around, greet friends you haven’t seen for a while and make new acquaintances.

(This article was first published HERE)