The holidays can be a stressful time for anyone’s waistline. Especially if you’re planning on tying the knot close to Christmas. It’s estimated that the average person gains around two pounds during the holiday season, and it’s not uncommon to gain five to seven pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. But fear not brides, we have some tips to help you and your sweet tooth keep your calories under control.
One of the best yet most dangerous elements to the holiday season, are obviously the holiday parties. And let me tell you, they are almost impossible to escape. From family and friends to potlucks at work, there are an abundance of places to loosen your belt. Here are some helpful tips that will prevent you from needing to let your dress out.
–Eat something small before the party. Skipping meals and arriving to any event starving is never a good idea. Eating something small and healthy before the party will allow you to arrive satisfied and prevent you from over indulging due to an empty stomach.
–Be a picky eater. Don’t eat anything you don’t absolutely love. Avoid eating things just to be social, and stick to eating things that you consider to be worth the calories.
–Hold a drink in your dominate hand. Now, this may sound a little crazy, but some studies show that people are less likely to nibble if their dominate hand is busy. So get a low cal drink to keep your hand from wandering to the dessert tray.
–Mix it up. If you’re going to have dessert at one party, skip the appetizers. At the next party allow yourself some hor d’oeuvres but pass on dessert. Allowing some variety and trade offs will make skipping something yummy easier.
Just to put things into perspective. Here are some holiday calorie facts (Sorry!) from Redbook.
• Having two spoonfuls of chocolate-chip cookie dough: 64 calories, 3 grams of fat
• Eating leftover pie scraps: 81 calories, 5 grams of fat
• Licking whipped cream off the beaters: 52 calories, 5 grams of fat
• Picking just one slice of cheese from the platter: 113 calories, 9 grams of fat
• Grabbing a handful of mixed nuts from the bowl: 168 calories, 15 grams of fat
Sometimes, the hardest part of being good around the holidays is behaving in your own home. It can be really easy to cheat while you bake so we have some helpful tips to help fight your cravings.
-Eat before you bake. This technique is similar to eating before going to a party. The more satisfied you feel before being around naughty food, the less likely you are to over indulge.
-Chew gum. Chewing gum is always a good idea to prevent unnecessary nibbling.
-Make deals with yourself If you absolutely must have some cookie dough, only eat one baked cookie. Sticking to these deals will help you stay grounded during the season.
One thing to always remembering during the holiday season is to:
Maintain your exercise plan. Most brides-to-be will try to exercise before the big day. The holidays can become really stressful, making it seem like there isn’t enough time in the day. The last thing that should be cut out of your schedule is your exercise. Try to set aside 20 minutes everyday for some sort of physical activity. Not only will it give you energy, it can help you sleep better at night.
The holidays are all about enjoying friends and family, and food happens to be a part of that. Don’t get down about the extra frosting you had to pass up. Instead, do your best to remember the reason for the season. So make smart choices, don’t sweat the small stuff, and enjoy spending time with your loved ones during the best time of the year!
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