Studies have made claims that the average American gains more than 5lbs. from the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday season. What? Sounds a little exaggerated. According to the New England Journal of Medicine these claims are a stretch and unsupported by clinical data.
The good news is the real number is closer to 1 lb. The bad news is that a single lb year over year adds up, and can contribute to some serious weight gain/ obesity over a lifetime.
So what do you do about it. Rather than sit out of the fun, you’ve got a couple of options to limit your holiday damage.
A few tips for keeping off that holiday pound.
• Drink more water. Substitute water for the 2nd helping of egg nog or holiday punch.
• Dig into the nuts instead of the sweets.
• Take a walk with the family instead of sitting around. Pick a neighborhood with some good lights and enjoy an evening walk.
• Substitute some relays for board games or TV time at your party or with your family. (bat race, bear/crawl, wheel barrow, sack rack, …)
• Have a “Feats of Strength” competition. (Push-ups, pull-ups, or a good old fashioned race make for some big time fun.)
Have fun and enjoy the holidays. Add some activities and make a few healthy choices to avoid the unwanted gift of a few extra pounds.