id169451710234434

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file namegm1312-gm1213p074.jpg

titleSay NO to holiday weight gain

subject date16-03-2021

place

credit

captiongooddiet. 74 holiday weight gain Say NO to It’s so easy to let the weight creep on during the holidays, but with a little bit of effort and planning you can keep those kilos under control. By Patricia Flokis It’s the holidays. You have parties and Christmas lunch to look forward to, New Year’s drinks and a trip away – it’s tempting just to accept that a few extra kilograms will hit your hips. “Research suggests people can put on up to 4kg during the Christmas break,” says accredited practising dietitian Milena Katz. The problem with being complacent about holiday weight gain, even if it’s only a kilo or two, is that it doesn’t magically drop off when the silly season is over. “You might lose a little of it, but the rest can hang around and even accumulate through the year,” she says. Want to keep the weight off these holidays? Follow these dos and don’ts: Don’t arrive hungry Being famished when you hit a Christmas event makes it harder not to overeat. “Eat a salad, a piece of fruit or a toasted sandwich before you go,” says Professor Clare Collins, spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia. Once there, don’t eat or drink to placate an insistent host. “Take a small portion to be polite, but don’t feel you have to finish it,” she says.★ The difference between a large (125g) slice of cheesecake and a small (75g) slice is 715kJ. Don’t eat just anything It can be easy at parties to eat foods you’re not keen on just because they’re offered to you. “Make it a rule to only eat foods you really like,” says Katz. As long as you’re mindful of portions with your treats, you don’t need to feel deprived or risk a kilojoule blow-out. ★ Here’s the proof. Eating a small amount of your favourite treats will satisfy your hunger, say US experts, but you’ll eat 77 per cent more when offered larger portions. Do pack light If you’re going away for the Christmas peri

id169451710234435

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file namegm1312-gm1213p075.jpg

titleSay NO to holiday weight gain

subject date16-03-2021

place

credit

caption75 gm1213holp75 - 74 2013-10-11T16:09:08+11:00

id169451710234436

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file namegm1312-gm1213p076.jpg

titleSay NO to holiday weight gain

subject date16-03-2021

place

credit

caption76 Photography Urbanlip. com/ Snapper Media / People Pictures/ StockFood cooked breakfast with lots of vegetables and a smaller lunch and dinner,” she says.★ Think about what you have at breakfast: by not eating three bacon rashers and buttered toast you’ll avoid 1649kJ and 20g of fat. Don’t do seconds To control how much you eat at social gatherings, fill your plate just once. Also, reach for the smallest plate or bowl possible. US research shows you’ll eat 22 per cent fewer kilojoules just by switching from a 30cm to a 25cm plate. “Most of us will eat until our plate’s empty, regardless of the size,” says Collins.★ Eating 22 per cent less of a roast beef Christmas dinner (three slices of meat, a baked potato, vegetables and gravy) will save you 572kJ. Don’t drink your kJs Some cocktails can have the same kJs as a meal. Alcohol can also affect what and how much you eat. Always make your first drink a mineral water because that’s when you’re thirstiest, advises Collins. “If you drink a glass or two of champagne fast, you’ll dilute your willpower and end up inhaling the appetisers.”★ How many kilojoules are there in your favourite drink? Small (120ml) glass champagne, 372kJ. Large (160ml) glass red wine, 456kJ. Mojito, 710kJ. Pina colada, 1210kJ. Don’t forget your routine Sticking to your regular exercise routine over the Christmas break will help combat holiday kilo creep. “Don’t let time pressures or school holidays prevent you from going to the gym or taking your daily walk,” says Katz. ★ A 60-minute brisk walk burns 1230kJ, which equals one small mince pie and a party-size quiche. Do pay it back Minimise the damage of a big meal by eating less and being more active the next day. “One big meal doesn’t make you overweight,” says Collins. “The problem is when one big meal becomes the trigger for giving up or continuing the blow-out for days or