Weight gain creeps up on everyone for various reasons, such as moments of sadness or depression, loneliness, stress, excessive travel, too much processed food and consistently dining. No surprise, then, that the holidays, which incorporate many reasons on the list, are a main culprit in gaining weight. Fortunately, there are simple ways to curtail putting on extra pounds this time of year. Try these proven steps:
1. Control Your Portions! Take a close look at the palm of your hand. Your portion sizes, whether of protein starches, fruits or vegetables, should be no larger. Otherwise, you’re eating too much.
2. Hydrate! Add more water to your day. It not only fills you up, it’s great for your skin. Ice water is especially good in helping to lose weight, as the frigid temperature make your body work harder to warm, thus burning more calories.
3. Eat More. Yes, now that your portion size is smaller, you will be hungry quicker. If you like sweets, grab a piece of fruit, if you like something crunchy, have raw vegetables. Eating smaller portions and snacking throughout the day keeps your metabolism in high gear, burning more calories.
4. Balance It Out. Make sure your plate contains a “palm full” portion of protein, whole grain carbohydrates and fruit or vegetables. The more color the better!
5. Watch It! Keeping an eye on calorie consumption is important and with product labels and more menus today providing better nutritional information, it’s easier to count your calories while you’re out and about. Standard food information can also be easily be accessed online.
NOTE: As a standard guideline to follow, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends men consume 2,000 to 2,600 calories if they’re sedentary and 1,600 to 2,000 calories for sedentary women. If you already have an active lifestyle, you can visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more recommendations.
At Renaissance Home Care and Adult Day Services we pride ourselves in helping our seniors make healthy decisions by giving our seniors healthy options to choose from through our many services and amenities. We strive to provide the freshest ingredients in our meal preparation, encourage our seniors to become active, and make sure they hydrate themselves regularly throughout the day! The only person who can make a difference in overcoming the various illnesses related to obesity, as well as obesity itself, is you! Take control and make a change!
By Christina O’Leary, BS Exercise Science, Director of Branding & Media for Spring Hills Senior Communities & Home Health Services and Renaissance Home Health Care & Adult Day Services
