Winning the battle of the holiday bulge

The weather outside is frightful and desserts look so delightful. ‘Tis the season when it’s a challenge to simply maintain your weight and fitness level. But if you want to ring in the New Year wearing the same pants size, there are some savvy moves you can make at the proper time to win the holiday battle of the bulge. Food choices are key. For instance, choosing roasted chicken over pot roast at the company shindig will save you 112 calories per three-ounce serving. Selecting a glass of wine over a bottle of beer saves you about 50 calories, and choosing spiced hot cider over egg nog saves you a whopping 260 calories per eight-ounce serving. Pound cake or pecan pie? Selecting curtain number one saves you 387 calories per slice. When it comes to temptations, Kathleen Gagg of Sparta doesn’t single out the holidays. “Seriously, every day is a temptation,” she says. “But if you do it in moderation and exercise I think we all deserve to indulge once in awhile.” Gagg started taking cardio classes three times a week with a group of friends and also weight trains two days a week. “It is easier to stay on track when you are doing it with friends because they all know when you do not attend class,” she says. Lafayette native Dr. Amy L. Covucci is a doctor of optometry and owner of Andover Eye Care on Newton-Sparta Road in Andover. A new mom with a six-month-old this holiday season, it’s sure to be an exciting Christmas. Covucci said to avoid extra snacking on sweets during the holidays, she has come up with a secret weapon. “I buy a scented candle, you know the ones that smell like pumpkin pie, apple spiced cake, etc. Use your olfactory senses to experience the foods instead of consuming them.“ Dr. Covucci has found it effective, but did add, “Of course allow yourself one treat that you really enjoy and put it in a small plate to help portion control.” After training more than 100 clients, Charlene Beebe, a trainer at Sparta Athletic Club, said, “I‘ve heard it all” when it comes to excuses. “Let’s face it, at this time of year our lives are accelerating, not slowing down. The biggest excuse I hear from clients is that they don’t have time.” Beebe is a big advocate of people making the time to keep fit. “We will never have someone come up to us and hand us a box with a red bow that has time in it. Exercise has to be a priority,” she preaches. Beebe, who recently bought Upper Lake Plaza Deli in Sparta, urges her clients to follow the rule of thumb: “Moderation not deprivation.” She said this plan works with a budget, “as you would run your household and allow for a little discretionary income as you would for splurging on a new purse or funky sunglasses.“ She said people should treat their diet the same way. “If you want a small piece of chocolate then watch your choices for the day and don’t over do it in other areas...Portion control is key...Watch your BLT’s - Bites ,licks and tastes - they all add up at the end of the day.” Nutritionist Erin Palinski, owner of Vernon Nutrition Center, advised that it’s better to plan to maintain weight during the holidays. She said since most Americans gain several pounds during the season, “by just maintaining your weight, you are already ahead.” Palinski said she has helped hundreds of adults and teens revamp their nutrition, lose weight and make better choices. “Any holiday food can fit into a healthy eating plan - the key is moderation and balance,” she says. Polanski suggests implementing a rating scale: “When you look at the spread of holiday foods, rank them on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being your very favorite foods. Only put the 9s and 10s on your plate - that way you don’t waste calories on foods you don’t ‘love.’” Palinski said to fill your plate just once to help with portion control and to plan a snack before you go to a holiday party so you’re not tempted to binge when you get there. “Focus on family and friends rather than the food - after the meal, remove the food from the table to avoid ‘picking’ or ‘mindless eating’ while talking; if the food can’t be removed choose a seat away from your favorite dishes.” Finally, Palinski said to eat slowly: “It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full - eating slowly allows you to enjoy all your holiday favorites without overdoing the portions.” With more than 10,000 locations worldwide, Curves touts a 30-minute workout for women without all of the pomp and circumstance of a gym. “I joined because I could be comfortable there without feeling I had to be wearing the perfect workout Spandex whenever I went,” said Susan Weaver of Newton. She visits a Curves near her work several times a week. She says she feels a lot of pressure during this time of year to “make everything perfect,” and that includes the Christmas dinner she and her husband host at their house for lots of family. “That pressure and expectation gets to me every year and the result is usually stress eating,” she says. “I’m not hungry, but there are extra sweets in the house and they seem to find their way into my mouth.” This year, Weaver is determined to be consistent with her workouts at Curves to try to offset the extra holiday eating. When it comes to eating too much, Gagg said, “We all fall down once in a while, and it is important for me to get back into my routine because the longer I wait the harder it is to get going again.” Beebe added, “We are all human and we are going to make mistakes. When you goof or binge, acknowledge your weakness and move on. A new day is a new beginning and look forward not back.” She urges people to not punish themselves for poor choices, rather “start the next meal with wholesome good foods that will give you energy and make you feel good.“ Finally, Beebe said, “Remember ‘GIGO’: Garbage In is Garbage Out. What you eat or drink will make you feel full or energy or slow and sluggish. With all the hustle and bustle make sure to put yourself on your to-do list. Make sure you get on the top of the list not the bottom.” Conventional wisdom holds that the average person gains five pounds over the holidays. It starts with the Turkey Day feast then continues through holiday office parties, family get-togethers, Hanukkah and Christmas dinners and liberal late-night New Year’s toasts. You may not be able to boycott the holidays, say those who know, but you can apply strategy and planning to get through “the most wonderful time of the year” with your waistline in check.