Staying Stable over the Holidays

When the “Holiday Season” approaches, many of my patients express a sense of dread because they inevitably gain weight over the holidays.  It’s almost as if they just throw their hands up and resign themselves to a very unhealthy and heavy holiday season.

Obesity is a disease that exists all year, so we can’t just stop managing weight for a whole season every year.  This is not healthy, and it can cause a lot of frustration and disappointment.  Not only can that make you feel miserable from the weight gain, but t’s also very demoralizing to have to start over every January.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you just have no control for the last few months of the year.   Approach this “holiday season” with a realistic plan, a positive attitude, and mental openness to some new ways of thinking.   The holiday season is often a whirlwind of festivities, gatherings, and, of course, indulgent foods. Navigating this time can feel daunting, but with the right focus and some planned strategies in place, you may find that you enjoy your holiday even MORE when you’re not stressed about food and weight.

The Reason for the Season

The holidays should be about family, friends and the sacred traditions we celebrate.  While every family celebrates differently, the holidays do inevitably have some element of food involved.  Try to have less focus on food decisions and have more focus on the true meaning of the holiday and spending time with loved ones.  The food may be an important part, but it should be secondary to more meaningful elements of the celebration.

Remember the “day” part of “holiday!”

Be realistic about what the “holiday season” really means.  The individual holidays occurring in the Fall and Winter seasons include Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza and New Year’s Eve and Day.  Because these dates all occur close together on the calendar, they have been lumped together to create a whole “holiday season.”  But, truthfully, each one of these holidays is just one day, so limit celebrating (with food anyway) to just ONE DAY.  Try not to let those days run into the weekend or even into the next holiday! When the special day or event is over, try your best to get back to your regular routine in between the dates.

Have a realistic weight goal.

Your primary goal for any holiday season should be to enjoy it in peace with your family and friends.  With that in mind, realize that sometimes weight management isn’t about losing weight, it’s about not gaining.  While it might be nice to be able to lose some weight over the holiday season, if you have a lot of celebrations planned, this might not be realistic.  Instead, maybe you give yourself the goal of maintaining your weight or limiting any gain to just a few pounds. 

Practice mindful moderation.

Identify the dates of your holiday celebrations so that you can try to prepare for enjoying them in a healthy, happy way and prioritize the ones you’re looking forward to the most.  The best way to sustain your weight is by practicing as much consistency as possible.  If you are practicing your regular habits leading up to an event, then any indulgences or treats you enjoy won’t have a huge impact on your weight or habits.  On the other hand, if you starve yourself all day in an effort to control how much you eat, this will likely work against you. By the time your holiday meal arrives, you are more likely to overeat and end up feeling miserable afterwards.  This can hugely dampen your holiday mood if you’re feeling bloated, sleepy and anxious about the calories you devoured.

Instead, try eating some lighter meals that will sustain your metabolism and energy throughout your entire celebration.  Remember, the day should not be about the food but about the family, friends, and fun!

Choose Your Favorites

Don’t feel obligated to eat everything that’s being served or that’s on your plate.  There is NO REQUIREMENT for you to clear your plate! Instead choose a small amount of each one of your favorite foods and enjoy them slowly and mindfully.  If you can savor each bite, you will get the maximum enjoyment out of your favorite foods! And, if you eat too fast, you can easily go past your point of fullness and end up feeling stuffed.

If you do eat more than you intended, try to follow up with some physical activity like a brisk walk to help burn off some glucose and get your digestion moving.

Guidelines for Alcohol

If you’ve had bariatric surgery, you must be very careful about consuming alcohol afterwards, because your reaction can be very unpredictable and widely varies from patient to patient. There is a risk of developing a “transfer addiction” after bariatric surgery. This means that post-bariatric patients are at higher risk for developing a dependence on substances, just as they may have been dependent on food for coping in the past. This does not mean that this will happen to every patient, but it’s an important risk to consider before you take your first drink after surgery.  Talk to the New You providers about recommendations for alcohol (especially if you’re a surgical patient!).

Here are some general recommendations for safely consuming alcohol:

  • Keep intake moderate (for men, that’s 14 or fewer drinks per week, women should have 7 or fewer drinks per week)
  • Limit high-sugar mixers (try some diet soda or club soda instead)
  • Don’t drink on an empty stomach (have a snack BEFORE your first drink)
  • Alternate drinks with water to prevent dehydration
  • DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! (your weight won’t matter if you end up in an accident)

Be a healthy party animal!

If you’re headed to an office celebration or a cocktail party, have a high-protein snack before you leave home.  This way you can make more mindful food choices at the event rather than scarfing down too much too quickly. This can be especially helpful if you’re not sure what will be served ahead of time. If you’ve had a snack before you arrive then you won’t be drinking on an empty stomach when you have your first cocktail.

Create a Healthy Celebration

Traditions are meant to be challenged, especially if they are unhealthy ones.  The current obesity rate in the US is over 40%. That means that the current times call for an overhaul of our over-indulgent celebrations. The holidays are supposed to be fun and peaceful, but they can turn stressful and exhausting if you are not taking proper care of yourself or pushing your priorities to the side for the sake of “tradition.”  If an old tradition doesn’t work for you, thoughtfully consider if it’s one you should continue honoring. 

Give your recipes a make-over: Your need to maintain your health and weight are just as important as the need to sustain traditions and truly enjoy the holidays. If you want to bring a lighter dish or prepare smaller portions, don’t be afraid to tell your loved ones what you want and need.  While you may risk being labeled a party-pooper, it’s way more likely that others attending your celebration would also like some lighter alternatives.

Manage portions: If you don’t want to have a lot of leftovers around, try to prepare smaller dishes by more closely estimating what you’ll need. Additionally, ask guests to bring a few empty storage containers to carry some leftovers OUT of your house!

Keep the menu balanced and bright: Your holiday meal should include a healthy balance of lots of different sources of proteins, fruits and vegetables, and healthy whole grains. The more color your foods have, the prettier your plate will look and the healthier your meal will be for you!

Start a non-food tradition

If your holidays ONLY happen around the dinner table, maybe you should try to SHAKE THINGS UP! Plan some non-food activities that will keep everyone more engaged than just hanging around and snacking all day. Here are some ideas to inspire you!

  • Holiday themed jigsaw puzzle – Have one for adults and one for kids!
  • Holiday dance party – Make a special play list with all your lively favorites! Turn on some tunes and invite your loved ones to the dance floor!
  • A scavenger hunt – Create a list of Fall- or Winter-themed items to hunt, and then everyone can head outside for an adventure.
  • Create a walking group – Arrange ahead of time to meet up with some neighbors or friends for a post-meal brisk walk or an early morning jog.
  • Arrange for an outdoor activity like ice skating, a basketball game, touch football, or pickleball.
  • Progressive painting – Put up a blank canvas or poster board with a set of paints or pastels. Ask everyone to contribute their artistic flare! You can keep the end masterpiece as a remembrance of the day!
  • Have a card or poker tournament – Play a favorite family card game tournament like Gin Rummy, Texas Hold ‘Em, or Spades.
  • Enjoy a holiday movie night – Gather everyone around for a viewing of your holiday favorites! Even have a movie marathon that goes all day!

We wish for you the healthiest and happiest of holidays seasons! We look forward to celebrating a New You!