Enjoy Christmas dinner without gaining weight

Christmas is a challenge for our figure, digestive system and body weight, because, although the most important holidays can be counted on the fingers of one hand, immoderation and uncontrolled eating usually extend to the days before and after the Holidays.

As a result, January sees one of the biggest annual peaks in gym registrationwhere people are often heard commenting “I’m here to ‘burn’ the holiday nougat” or “I can’t fasten my seat belt anymore” while placing a hand on their stomach or waist to show their fatness try to solve this with a stationary bike or treadmill.

“Excessive consumption of calories can cause an increase in body fat of 80-90 grams daily and up to one kilogram per week, so that after the Christmas holidays we can easily have between 2 and 5 kilograms more than we thought before they started,” warn experts from the European Medical Institute for Obesity (IMEO).

“Despite being aware of it certain foods and meals make them fatmost people do not change their attitude, nor do they set limits on celebrations at the table,” thinks Rubén Bravo, expert in dietetics and gastronomy and spokesperson of IMEO (https://imeoobesidad.com).

However, the solution is not in imposing excessive dietary restrictions that require great efforts or sacrifices or drastic changes, which will eventually be abandoned, but in proposing realistic and non-idealistic guidelines that most people could follow, they point out from this point of view.

Two specialists from this leading medical center suggest a a series of original gestures and measures and creatively enjoy good food during the holidays without gaining weight and avoid unpleasant situations physically and mentally:

Mentalize yourself so you don’t overdo it

“A few weeks ago customersthink about what the past year was like, what your current emotional and physical needs are and how you would like to celebrate Christmas on this occasion, since sometimes obligations and automatic repetition prevent us from acting according to our taste or needs,” says psychologist IMEO -a, María González.’

“Buy consciously, avoid nougats and other temptations in the pantry in advance. Enjoy typical dishes for the holidays, respecting a healthy diet in the days in between, avoiding too much fried food, sugar and alcohol,” suggests the psychologist. María González. He recommends maintaining the exercise or sports routine you’ve been practicing, “but not with the idea of ​​making up for what you ate”; set limits to the demands of the family.

As for food, this psychologist recommends “enjoy typical food and Christmas desserts only for holidays (Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year and Three Kings), respecting a healthy diet in the intervening days, avoiding excessive consumption of fried food, sugar and alcohol.

González advises conscious shopping, avoiding having nougat and other tempting products in the pantry a month in advance, which is “not psychologically healthy,” and leaving these foods for the appropriate dates.

Soothe stress and anxiety

González advises giving yourself time to rest and be alone, and yes Holidays They tend to be very busy with many people; sleep as many hours as necessary, stay away from the screen before bed; and “listening” to the body’s signals (fatigue, hunger, satiety, discomfort) in order to act accordingly, to deal with them appropriately.

Maintenance is also recommended exercises or sports routines that it was practiced, “but not with the idea of ​​making up for what was eaten”; set limits to the demands of the family; share vacation obligations; seek support from others; and withdraw for a few minutes from the stressful situation until you calm down by practicing relaxation and breathing exercises.