How to survive the holiday feasts, fats and calories

Ready, get set, gorge!

By Rey Constantino

Most of us wake up on new year’s day many pounds heavier than our weight the previous year because of our merciless, unrelenting  and non-stop eating binge during the holidays.  To compound this, our muscles tend to be  more sluggish since the cold holiday weather made us lazy and took us away from our slimming machines and daily exercises.  So, how do you resist the t4emptaion of holiday food, glorious food? 

Woman’s Day magazine has these helpful tips for the Yuletide season. :

            Plan ahead.  Never go to a party on an empty stomach. Instead, have a salad, some fruit and a glass of club soda beforehand. Even if you are taking one of the new weight-control drugs that helps curb appetite, you won’t be able to resist buffet-table temptations if you haven’t eaten for hours.

            Quench thirst first.  When you arrive at a party, make the pitcher your first stop. In the holiday rush, you’re  bound to be more thirsty and you’ll down whatever you drink rapidly. Once your thirst  is under control, you can make a glass of wine last or decide if you really need that zillion-calorie glass of eggnog.

            Little things add up.  How ;may time have you told yourself you’d take “just a taste” of everything, only to emerge from the buffet line with a plate that would feed the front line of the San Diego Chargers?  Limit yourself to two or three low-fat foods and one  splurge serving per party.

            Beware of “fat Free.”     If it’s fat-free, you’ll eat times three.  Having less of the real thing makes more sense.  One dietician who loves dessert recommends sharing a decadent sweet.  The first bites are the best anyway.

            Reward yourself.  What normal woman won’t fill up on stuffed mushrooms or luscious pastries if she has nothing but non-fat yogurt and naked celery stalks to look forward to when she gets home?  Plan ahead of time to have a nice dinner after the holiday buffet.  The prospect of a hot, nutritious sit down meal will make it easier to smile and say a polite “no thanks” when the tray of salmon canapés comes around yet again. 

            REMEMBER:  IT TAKES TWICE AS LONG TO TAKE WEIGHT OFF AS IT TAKES TO PUT ON POUNDS. Kindly disregard this warning if you’re planning to join the Biggest Loser contest next season.   #######