Tag: thanksgving

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HOW TO AVOID HOLIDAY REGRETS

Everyone looks forward to the holiday season.  But when it’s over we may feel a post season slump.  Things didn’t go as well as expected, and it’s partly our own fault.  Here’s how to avoid holiday regrets:

Do you control your appetite or does it control you?  The holidays start on Thanksgiving and don’t end until Jan 2.  Now is the time for some preventive maintenance.  Start downsizing your body before the holidays even begin. This gives you some leeway if you eat too much pecan pie and stuffing.

One way to control your weight is to ignore those first signs of hunger. Don’t head for the frig as soon as you feel your stomach gnawing or growling.  Drink a glass of water.   Do some exercises–anything to get your mind on something else. And on the big day, try to avoid second servings.

Here are five ways to avoid holiday regrets.
TOO MUCH ALCOHOL CAN TRIGGER FAMILY FEUDS AT HOLIDAY GATHERINGS.

Alcohol and  relatives don’t  always mix.  Not everyone likes their in laws.  If you’re a never Trumper, someone in the family probably likes him.  Family gatherings are fertile grounds for disagreements over just about anything. The choice of restaurant, a loan that wasn’t paid back, grandpa’s will.  The list goes on and on.  You try to bite your tongue most of the time, but an extra glass of wine or a double scotch is apt to loosen it. .  And before you know it, you’ve said something nasty  and you can’t take it back. Know your limits.  Don’t let too much alcohol ruin family harmony and leave you feeling ashamed of yourself.

It’s fine to give expensive presents if you can afford them.  But don’t overspend. Who wants to be paying off Christmas bills at Easter time?

Don’t feel you must go home for Christmas. Ice and snow usually create hazardous conditions at least once during the season.  No family wants to get a call that their loved ones have been in an accident. You can always celebrate a few days later when the roads have cleared.

Stay home if you’re sick.  Don’ t push yourself  to attend social gatherings or go to work.  If you feel  you’re coming down with something, you’re probably contagious.  A bad virus infection can turn into pneumonia if you don’t stay in bed until you’re well.    For your own sake, and the wellness of others,  take care of yourself until you’re feeling healthy again.

Here’s hoping your holidays are full of happy memories, and no regrets!

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STOP! DON’T WEIGH YOURSELF TODAY

The holiday is over, and now you’re ready to step on the scales.  How much weight did you gain after all that dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls and pumpkin pie?  The average Thanksgiving meal contains about 5,000 calories, which is more than you ordinarily consume in a couple of days. But,  before you take off your shoes, stop! Don’t weigh yourself today.

Thanksgiving meals are loaded with salt and sugar.  Both will make you retain fluids.  You may be holding an extra three or four pounds of water  in your body tissues.  It takes awhile to get rid of all that extra water, assuming that you resume your healthy , low sodium, low sugar diet.

Too much salt causes a flud buildup
WHY YOU SHOULD WAIT A FEW DAYS TO WEIGH YOURSELF

In addition to the big family meals, you may have been on the road for a day or two visiting family.  How do you eat when you’re traveling?  Fast food, of course.  Who wants to waste time sitting in a restaurant when you are anxious to arrive at your destination before the weather gets worse.  Maybe you don’t ordinarily eat French fries, but they smell so good when you walk into Burger King. And how good are fries without salt?  Lots and lots of salt.  There you go, more fluid retained in your sluggish body cooped up for hours on end in a car, and no exercise whatsoever.

And so, if you step on the scales the minute you get home, you’re apt to be in for a shock. You don’t need that guilt trip just yet.  It could make you so depressed that you reach for a candy bar just to cheer yourself up.  For the rest of the week, eat lots of salads, vegetables, and lean meat.  Walk at least 30 minutes a day.

Okay, on Friday, it’s safe to step on the scales and find out how  much you weigh.  You may have gained a pound or two, but that’s doable.  It’s easier to diet away one pound, rather than four.

Now, you have a few weeks to prepare for those Christmas parties.   Reduce your caloric intake, and fix some carrot and celery sticks to keep in the frig in case you get hungry. Take advantage of sunny days to walk in the park.  The average person gains a total of six pounds over the holidays.  But that statistic needn’t include you!