5 Tips To Keeping Off Holiday Pounds
Take Control!

by Judie Bizzozero

We all love roast turkey with all the trimmings, pumpkin pie and whipped cream, but don't pig out!

With the holiday season right around the corner, soon we will be tempting our taste buds with an abundance of savory meals, scrumptious sweets and enticing drinks. If you are like the majority of Americans who overindulge and pay the price in extra pounds, it's important to learn that the real key to enjoying all the holiday festivities and treats is to keep a watchful eye on what we eat and how much we consume.

By taking control of your nutrition and lifestyle, you'll breeze through to the New Year without adding a pound, and hopefully gaining a new appreciation of your inner self. The following are five easy steps to keep on the straight and narrow.

1. Get Fit

A sure way to keep those holiday calories at bay is to get up off your duff and begin a regular exercise program before weight gain becomes an issue. It doesn't have to be drastic, but you need to make a commitment and stick to your program. Changes may be slow in coming, but they will last a lifetime in terms of positive health benefits.

Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car in the farthest space and walk to your destination, take the dog for a walk. Even cleaning your house helps burn the calories.

Most importantly, don't limit yourself to measuring achievement with a scale. Besides the fact that you can gain pounds with muscle, healthy weight loss typically is considered one to two pounds per week--often a discouraging sight for anxious new athletes. Instead, consider keeping a journal about feeling healthy, how your clothes fit (an indicator of body shape) or improvements in heart rate.

2. You Are What You Eat

The holiday season is synonymous with candies, nuts and festive cocktails that are far too tempting to avoid. Just be aware that you are what you eat. If you chow down an entire bowl of pistachios, be prepared for the extra calories and fat grams to grab onto your thighs. Just one handful of beer nuts can have more than 170 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Try eating low-fat or light dairy products and sweets and give fat-free milk a chance. You'll still get all the great taste without the fat. Also, avoid loading up on carbohydrate-rich foods such as breads, bagels and pastas. But don't deprive your body completely if you enjoy or crave certain foods. If you want a bagel, try eating just half and skip the cream cheese or opt for a low-fat smear.

Substitute steamed veggies, fresh produce and fruit for chips and processed snacks. If you like dunking your veggies in ranch dip, try a low-fat yogurt instead. For butter-slathering baked potato lovers, how about a tablespoon of salsa? It has no fat, is low in calories and tastes great.

For the meatlovers in the crowd, choose trim cuts of meat like tenderloin and ground turkey. If you crave turkey or chicken, skip the skin--while it adds a little flavor, it is heavy in fat. Avoid sodium-laced bacon and ham as they enhance water retention.

3. Put Your Fork Down

We all love roast turkey with all the trimmings, pumpkin pie and whipped cream, but don't pig out. Not only is overeating hard on the waistline, it can upset your delicate gastrointestinal tract and lead to sleep disorders and guilt.

Try drinking a full glass of water before and after your meal. This helps trick your stomach into thinking it is full and keeps you from reaching for another piece of pumpkin pie. If you are going to go back for a little something, try a piece of fruit or raw veggies. As you nibble nutritiously, you'll begin to feel full and better about yourself--while reaping the benefits of nutrients and vitamins.

Some people claim that using a smaller plate helps them maintain portion control. If you know you're going back for seconds or even thirds, try this method--you'd be surprised that you may end up eating less than a heaping dinner plate full.

4. Stay Hydrated

Keeping your body hydrated is key to overall health. Incorporating eight glasses of water into your daily diet is an excellent way to keep your body fluid since water helps to regulate your body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to your cells and removes waste. Did you know that drinking water also helps cushion your joints, prevent constipation and lessen the burden on your kidneys and liver by removing some of the toxins?

Not only is water the great elixir, it also helps keep your skin looking soft, moist and supple while warding off blemishes. Best of all, water doesn't contain any calories or sodium and gets an instant natural flavor boost with a simple slice of lemon.

5. Limit Your Alcohol Intake

While the holidays bring extra parties, try to avoid excessive drinking as it can pack on the pounds and inhibit your judgment. Choose a glass of wine or a light beer over mixed drinks that can be higher in sugars, alcohol and empty calories.

Did you know that a 2.5-ounce martini has about 155 calories? On average there are about 150 calories per 12-ounce beer and about 100 calories per 12-ounce light beer. A 5-ounce glass of wine contains about 100 calories.

Recent studies suggest moderate alcohol consumption can help in protecting against heart disease, but consuming any more than that might cause other serious health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.