The average American gains
about one to 1.5 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, according
to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
That may sound like a small
price to pay for a few holiday indulgences, but NIH estimates that the bulk
gained in those few weeks makes up about 51 percent of the average
American's annual weight gain, pounds that can be stubborn even in the face
of New Year's fitness resolutions.
"There are so many holiday
parties and events that for six weeks it's pretty much non-stop eating,"
said Susanne Koch, worksite wellness coordinator for the Georgia Department
of Public Health (DPH).
It doesn't help that many
holiday dishes are calorie-heavy gut bombs. But Koch said there's good news:
they don't have to be.
To arm DPH employees with
tools to fight holiday weight gain, Koch led a lunch 'n' learn session Nov.
14 focused on turning holiday staples into healthy but still delicious
treats. Attendees learned about healthful variations on traditional recipes
and got to sample the dishes, prepared by food truck catering company
Happy Belly.
Lightening up holiday recipes
can start with simple changes, such as substituting salt-and-sugar-heavy
canned foods with fresh ones. Another easy solution is swapping out some
ingredients, such as milk, cheeses, oils and meats, for their leaner,
lower-calorie counterparts.
Making healthy holiday food
choices doesn't mean all indulgences are off-limits. But keeping an eye on
portion sizes can be the key to keeping those splurges from turning into
major weight gain. Fill your plate with lean meats and healthy side dishes,
but keep your samples of sinful treats on the small side.
Balance is also a key part of
healthy holiday eating -- don't starve yourself to earn a night of feasting
and don't totally ignore your healthy eating routines. Koch said keeping a
food journal is a good way to keep tabs on how you're doing.
"If you're eating more,
challenge yourself to at least monitor that," Koch said. "Try to limit your
feasting to one day and not make it a six-week event."
And don't forget to exercise.
Along with burning off those mashed potatoes, exercise helps reduce stress
and can be a great way to have some alone time or connect with relatives.
"Take advantage of the fact that you're with family and encourage them to be
active with you," Koch said.
-Story by Carrie
Gann, DPH Communications
