You don’t need to gain weight over the holidays

The old rule of thumb was that people gained between 5 and 10 pounds between Halloween and New Year’s Day.

Recent studies have shown that figure simply isn’t true. Most of us gain 1 pound, maybe 2, over the holidays.

Still, those pounds can add up year after year.

That doesn’t have to happen, said Rhonda Moore, a registered dietitian with the LECOM Senior Living Center. If you follow a few basic guidelines, you still should be able to fit into your skinny jeans on Jan. 2.

“The key is to enjoy yourself on the holiday itself, but eat normally on all the other days,” Moore said. You don’t have to eat Christmas cookies every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. It’s those days between the holidays that you have to watch.”

Moore offered several other tips:

▪ Be active every day. It can be difficult to find time to exercise during the holidays, especially as the weather worsens and you have to bundle up to walk around the neighborhood.

“Make time to get out and be active,” Moore said. “Plan exercise as part of your day.”

▪ Plan ahead when attending holiday parties. If the party offers appetizers, eat a small, healthy meal ahead of time to reduce your urge to binge eat.

“Take a dish that is delicious and healthy, so you have at least one option,” Moore said. “And limit the amount of alcohol you drink. One shot of liquor has between 100 and 120 calories.”

▪ Remember proper portion sizes and eat slowly. One slice of French bread has 80 calories, and it’s not unusual to see Uncle Freddie eat five or six slices of bread at Thanksgiving dinner.

Eating slowly gives your brain time to realize your stomach is getting full, and it reduces your chances of dozing off while watching football.

▪ Try healthier versions of some holiday classics, sometimes. Be careful when replacing family favorites with healthier alternatives, Moore said.

“It works better for the vegetable dishes, not the desserts or meats,” Moore said. “Try a healthy green bean dish instead of the traditional green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup and French-fried onions.”

Follow these tips, and you might not have to exchange those pants your sister bought you for Christmas.

This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 4:31 PM with the headline "You don’t need to gain weight over the holidays."