How to Avoid Weight Gain Over the Holidays

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The holidays are a time when family and friends gather to enjoy each other’s company—and eat! Indulgent meals, bountiful buffets, cookie swaps,holiday parties… it’s no surprise that maintaining a healthy weight can present even more challenges during the holidays than throughout the rest of the year. Each year, on average, we tend to gain a small amount of weight (about one pound per year). According to some research, most of that weight is gained over the holiday season.

Study suggests you can control holiday weight gain

2Does that mean we are destined to see a bigger number when we step on the scale in January? Or can we keep the end-of-year weight gain at bay1keep sb/sth at bay 阻止，遏制（令人不快的事物）。?

3A study published in The BMJ2The BMJ 全称为The British Medical Journal，创刊于1840 年，是世界一流的医学期刊。sought to find out. Researchers examined the effectiveness of a brief (four to eight weeks) behavioral intervention to prevent weight gain over the Christmas holiday period. The researchers randomized 272 adults into one of two groups.The intervention group was given a behavioral intervention intended to increase their restraint of food and beverage consumption. The intervention involved three components: encouraging participants to regularly weigh themselves and record their weight;providing specific weight-management strategies; and providing information on how much physical activity would be needed to burn off the calories consumed in typical holiday foods and drinks. The control group received information on healthy living.

逢年过节是亲朋欢聚一堂的日子，也是敞开肚皮尽情吃喝的日子！丰盛大餐、豪华自助、饼干交换、节日派对……难怪在节假日期间保持健康的体重比一年中其他任何时候都更难。我们的体重平均每年都有小幅度的增长（一年大概长一磅）。有研究称，体重增长主要发生在节假日期间。

研究表明：你可以预防“过节肥”

2年初踏上体重秤时，我们难道注定要看到体重上涨吗？我们能遏制年末的增重吗？

3《英国医学杂志》刊登了一篇文章试图回答这个问题。研究人员评估了一项预防“圣诞肥”的短期（4 到8 周）行为干预实验，看其是否有所成效。他们将272 名成年人随机分为两组。干预组的成员接受行为干预，需要加强对饮食摄入量的控制。干预措施包括三个部分：鼓励参与者定期称重并做记录；提供具体的体重管理方法；告知参与者需要多少运动量才能燃烧掉从常规节日饮食摄入的卡路里。对照组则获得关于健康生活的资讯。

4Results showed that the intervention group lost an average of 0.3 pounds,while the control group gained 0.8 pounds. This may not seem like much,but research shows that weight gains are not fully lost in the months following the holidays. Although the yearly gain is small, it can add up to an increase of 10 pounds over 10 years.

10 top tips for weight management

5Study participants in the intervention group were encouraged to follow these 10 tips to help prevent weight gain:

• Keep to your meal routine. Try to eat at roughly the same times each day.

4结果表明，干预组平均减重0.3 磅，对照组则增重0.8 磅。虽然这看起来不多，但研究显示，在假期结束后的几个月，那些增长的体重也并不会完全减掉。每年虽然增重不多，但十年累积下来也有十磅。

体重管理的十个小妙招

5干预组成员采用了以下10个预防肥胖的小妙招：

• 饮食有规律。一日三餐时间大致固定。

•Go reduced-fat.Choose low-fat foods when possible.

•Walk off the weight.Aim for 10,000 steps each day.

•Pack a healthy snack.Choose fresh fruit or low-calorie yogurt instead of chocolate or chips.

•Look at the labels.Check food labels for fat and sugar content.

•Caution with your portions.Don’t heap food on your plate, and think twice before having second helpings.

•Up on your feet.Stand up for 10 minutes every hour.

•Think about your drinks.Choose water or calorie-free drinks, and limit alcohol.

•Focus on your food.Slow down,and don’t eat in front of the TV or on the go.

•Don’t forget your 5-a-day.Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

How much activity would it take to burn off this eggnog3 eggnog 蛋奶酒，西方圣诞节的传统饮品。?

6Physical activity—or at least understanding how much physical activity it would take to burn off calories, and possibly considering that information when making choices about what to eat—also played a role in preventing weight gain.In the study, the researchers provided the intervention group with a chart that showed the approximate amount of activity it would take to burn the calories found in a given amount of festive foods. For example, it would take approximately 12 minutes of walking or six minutes of running to burn off the calories in five pigs in a blanket4pigs in a blanket 猪包毯，一道以培根包裹香肠的菜肴。, and it would take approximately eight minutes of walking or four minutes of running to burn off the calories in 5 tablespoons of gravy.

• 减少脂肪摄入。尽量选择低脂食品。

• 走路减重。争取日行万步。

• 准备健康的零食。选择新鲜水果或低热量的酸奶，而不是巧克力或薯片。

• 看一眼标签。查看食品标签上的脂肪和糖分含量。

• 取餐需谨慎。不要在自己的餐盘里堆太多，吃第二份之前要三思。

• 时不时站一站。每小时站立十分钟。

• 慎重选择饮品。喝水或者零卡饮料，少喝酒。

• 吃饭时要专心。吃慢一点，不要边看电视边吃东西，也不要边走路边吃东西。

• 记得日食五份果蔬。每天至少吃五份水果和蔬菜。

需要多少运动量才能消耗掉蛋奶酒？

6体育运动在预防增重方面也发挥着一定作用，至少要了解需要多少运动量才能燃烧掉卡路里，并且在选择食物时有这种意识。在这项研究中，干预组成员得到一张图表，标明了消耗特定量节日美食的热量所需的大约运动量。例如，消耗五个猪包毯的热量大约需要步行12 分钟或者跑步6 分钟；消耗五汤匙肉汁的热量大约需要步行8 分钟或者跑步4 分钟。

More strategies to prevent holiday weight gain

7Here are a few more tips to help you keep your weight in check5keep...in check 抑制；限制。without foregoing your holiday traditions.

• Mark all of the holiday events you’ll be attending on your calendar so that you’ll remember to plan ahead. If the meal is not at your home, eat lighter the day of the event to balance the extra calories you may consume at the party.If the event is in the evening, have a healthy breakfast and satisfying lunch,with a light snack before the event to avoid overindulging later.

• If you are the host and struggle with tasting while cooking, try chewing sugar free gum while preparing the meal, or have a small snack before you start cooking. Serve plenty of raw vegetables and yogurt-based dips to start the event and fresh fruit to finish. After the meal,send leftovers home with friends and family.

预防“过节肥”的其他方法

7以下还有一些小妙招可以帮助你既不摒弃节日传统，也不放任体重增长。

• 在日历上标注出一年当中要参加的所有节庆活动，提醒自己提前做好规划。如果宴会不在自己的家里举办，当天就吃清淡一点，以抵消在宴会上可能摄入的多余热量。如果是参加晚宴，就吃一顿健康的早餐和一顿饱腹的午餐，赴宴前再吃点小零食，以避免到了晚上胡吃海喝。

• 如果是你在家请客，备菜时担心自己边做边吃刹不住车，那么不妨嚼无糖口香糖，或者在做饭之前吃一点小零食。宴会开始时多上一些凉拌生蔬和酸奶蘸酱，结束时再呈上一些新鲜水果。饭后将剩余的食物打包送给亲友带走。

• The workplace can be hazardous around the holidays; holiday lunches and office parties can make it difficult for even the most health-conscious employee to make smart choices. If the team is going out for a special holiday lunch, choose lower-calorie items and go light on dinner that evening.Move holiday cookies and candies to a high-traffic area to spread the goodies around.

• Start new traditions that don’t revolve around food. For example, attend a holiday concert or show, or take a drive or walk to see holiday lights.Catch up with a friend over a yoga or Zumba6Zumba 尊巴，一种时尚的健身舞，融合了拉丁舞蹈和健身训练。class instead of meeting for a peppermint mocha latte.

8Preventing weight gain over the holidays can be a challenge. But it is possible!

• 节日期间的职场也有风险。即使是最懂养生的员工也很难在节日午宴和同事聚会时保持理智。如果团队中午外出聚餐，那么就选择低热菜品，晚上再吃清淡点。把过节吃的饼干和糖果拿到人多的地方，好分发出去。

• 开创新传统，过节不一定非得吃吃喝喝。比如，去听一场节日音乐会，去看一场节日演出，开车或步行去观一场节日灯光秀。约朋友一起去上一次瑜伽课或尊巴课，而不是去喝杯薄荷摩卡拿铁。

8预防“过节肥”实为不易，但也并非不可能！