Holiday Weight Gain
Karin- These holidays seasons are always challenging for our clients to avoid all the great meals that friends and family prepare, as fitness professional I like to make sure that my clients are well informed on tips that they can follow to stay in track of their programs. This would include what to eat or not to eat, and built and strategy when wonderful meals are placed in front of you, As you and I know that depriving yourself of not eating the meals would not be a realistic option. Here are some tips I gave to my clients, friends and family:
The average American will consume 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving day, a feat worthy of competitive eating accolades on any other day. But that doesn’t mean you can’t stuff your face without testing the fortitude of your new designer jeans. We imagine you’ll want turkey. Cranberry sauce. Potatoes, sure. Gravy. Maybe some veggies on the side. Oh, and pie? Yeah, go for it! But just by making a couple of smart at-the-table swaps you could eat to your heart’s content and still consume fewer calories than you did last year. Now that’s something to be thankful for!
Peruse the Buffet Before Tackling It-
Before you begin to pack your plate with food, look over all of your options and decide which ones you really can’t live without. Skip over any so-so food options as you don’t need the added calories provided by these less-than-desirable options.
Stick With Water-
Avoid sodas and alcohol when selecting a beverage to wash down your Thanksgiving meal. These high-calorie beverages may quench your thirst, but they also pack an added calorie punch that you do not need on a day when you are already planning a large calorie intake.
Downsize Your Plate
Don’t mosey on up to the Thanksgiving buffet armed with a platter to fill to the gills with food. Instead, select a smaller plate, such as a cake or pie plate or a plate this is slightly smaller in diameter than the other options. By using a petite plate, you ensure that you don’t allow your eyes to get the better of your stomach and amass a mountain of food
Hope this helps.
Karin, I believe it is all connected to the client’s values, goals and motivations. Once we as fitness professionals determine through appreciative inquiry what our clients value, we are in a position to use their goals, values and intrinsic motivators to encourage them to continue working towards their goals.
Thank you for your question.