The Bride’s Guide to Holiday Eating: 10 Get-Thin Tips
Also, though one of those will probably be—because of timing—what you would ordinarily think of as a snack, don’t look at it that way or you may be in danger of the “that didn’t really count” mindset. “Snacking can be a problem, so think of it as a meal,” says Avanti. “A complete meal.”
The holidays are a minefield of fattening food, but with a bit of planning you can stick to your wedding dress diet. Photo: iStockphoto/MorganLane studios
4. Think meals, not days—even when a holiday party is involved. Calorie- and fat-laden meals cause fat storage, and cutting calories way back causes your metabolism to slow down, says Avanti. She’s talking about that all-too-common mindset of “I’ll eat a tiny breakfast so I can have everything I want at the Christmas party.” Or “I’ll go all out today, but I’ll make up for it tomorrow.” Such up-and-down eating plays havoc with your whole body, she says, and makes it far less likely that you will be able to lose weight.
5. Be proactive about your food choices. It’s easy to forget your wedding dress fittings when faced with steaming rich food and gooey desserts, so when you arrive at a holiday party decide what you will have before you load your plate, starting with your lean protein. While there’s no doubt that the holidays offer an assortment of high-fat, -sugar and –calorie treats, most parties will also have an assortment of fresh veggies, fresh fruit, and lean protein offerings such as shrimp cocktail, chicken lettuce wraps, or sushi. And if it’s a dinner party, it’s even more likely to offer lean turkey or chicken and vegetable sides (although be conscious of added fats).
As a rule, you should stay away from high-fat and high-calorie dips and sauces, desserts and other dishes, but if there’s something you absolutely must have—Aunt Susie’s pistachio cannolis, say—then have a very small amount as part of the meal, and be sure to balance it with your other food.
6. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is ubiquitous during the holidays, and it may seem that a get together just isn’t a party without a few drinks. But you should approach alcohol cautiously. For one thing, alcohol is empty calories, and if you’re trying to be thin you don’t have a lot of room for those. Also, your body digests alcohol differently than it does food or nonalcoholic drinks, and can hinder weight loss. In one study, men who drank vodka metabolized fat 73 percent less efficiently than those who drank sugar-free lemonade. Alcohol also lowers your inhibitions and makes it more likely that you will overeat.
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There is a common misconception in the third month. They say you may gain weight from building muscle, but you also have to monitor how much you eat. The more calories you burn in a day, the more your body wants calories put back into it. So, even though you’re doing cardio, you may cancel out its effects by eating more. Just thought I’d share that to help everyone along the way.