Holiday Calories In/Calories Out

By Marjorie Jaffe –

Holidays are around the corner and I have an idea for the best gift you can give yourself – pride in the way you look and feel. Positive energy is way to go into this season. Here are some ways you can approach the season to be jolly in a healthy way.

CALORIES IN

When you care about your health and body and honor that feeling, you’ll be able to change your attitude toward what you eat. Stay calm and take charge of what you decide to consume rather than be a victim to mindless over eating. You’ll metabolize food better when you’re relaxed. You’ll not even notice or remember that you’ve eaten if you down something when you’re tense and not paying attention to what you’re eating. Pay particular attention when standing at a party.

Take the morality and punishment out of eating unhealthy foods. You’re not ‘bad’ if you eat ‘bad foods’. Give yourself permission to have something not quite healthy, but have less of it without feeling guilty afterwards. Just have less.

Don’t be afraid of food, and don’t try to depend on your willpower. We’re feeling in charge as we make our choices within the framework of choosing tasty foods, we’re not using willpower or discipline. Any time you spend denying food ensures that at some later time, you’ll overeat almost all the food you denied.

In addition to making wiser food selections, remember to take one day at a time. If you’re at a party on a Monday night and over indulge in calorie laden foods, you can get back on track Tuesday – don’t think you have to write off the entire week or season. Healthy people get off track, but they get back on as soon as they can!

As we all know, select as many vegetables and salad as you can, and then accessorize your plate with the other foods, in smaller amounts. For example, pizza. Have one slice and then a salad to keep you eating and fill you up. Pie and ice cream? Have either a smaller piece of pie or 1 scoop of ice cream.

Sometimes you’re thirsty and water works as well as wine. But, at times, it’s nice to enjoy a drink. And, you can always say to yourself, that red wine is healthy and a drink or two calms and relaxes me.

TIPS:

1. Calm yourself – it’s been proven that calories you eat when you’re stressed tend to stay on your body as fat, but get metabolized and used when you’re calm.
2. Have a loose plan of what you’re going to eat at a party. Try to chose the healthiest foods and then take smaller portions of the more fattening foods (cheese, crackers, sweets).
3. Eat 100 – 200 calories before you leave for the party so you’re not “starving” when you get there. (e.g. cereal, fruit, a sweet potato)

CALORIES OUT

Aerobic exercises raise the amount of calories used and sustain this elevation for several hours after your workout. That’s why active people can eat more without gaining weight than sedentary people. Women who exercise aerobically several times a week have an easier time controlling their appetites and are often motivated to eat healthier food.

Knowing this, can be the inspiration you need to start a walking program today. If you are new to walking, just go out for a walk and don’t worry about your speed. Your goal is to increase your distance to three miles done in 30-60 minutes. Sometimes you need to lessen the intensity, duration or frequency of your walk. You can walk a shorter distance, or a slower pace as long as you walk for 30 minutes. Every extra calorie you burn makes room for 1 more calorie you can eat. Every 100 calories you burn (walking about a mile) allows 100 more calories in – and that’s something!

TIPS:

1. Wear sneakers with good cushioning and support
2. Wear layered clothing so you remove the top layer when you warm up.
3. Be sure to enjoy your walk

Walking outside or on the treadmill can be a lifelong pleasurable activity. Learning to moderate your “Calories In” and entering the Holiday season with more “Calories Out” is a great way to have fun during the Holidays.

Marjorie Jaffe, owner of Back in Shape exercise studio in NYC & lifelong fitness expert, is the author of a number of books including, The Muscle Memory Method, Get Your Back in Shape and Albert the Running Bear’s Exercise Book, as well as a Reader’s Digest Books contributor. She was trained by Dr. Sonya Weber; founder of Columbia Presbyterian’s Posture and Back Care Clinic, and she served for ten years as head instructor for the YWCA Backcare program. Website: http://marjoriejaffe.com