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Thanksgiving is over and the holidays have officially begun.  It’s frenzy time.  And tradition tells us that this is a time when people throw caution to the wind in anticipation of New Years’ resolutions.

When you think about it, it’s really not that long until the holidays are over.  I got out the calendar and counted 35 days in total.  How much harm can someone do in 35 days?

With this in mind, I’m kicking off the season with my top 5 ways to avoid holiday weight gain:

1. Don’t buy into it.  I think the number the holidays do on weight gain is exaggerated.  A few years ago I was pitching a story to a magazine and actually looked up that 7-pound-weight-gain-during-the-holidays rumor.  I was surprised to find the average weight gain from Thanksgiving to New Year’s to be just under a pound. 
 
All this talk about over-indulging, and starting the New Year virtuous, makes overeating as contagious as the flu.  In fact, a 2002 study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that people who anticipated going on a diet ate more than those who didn’t. 

So don’t buy into it.  Enjoy the traditional food that’s around during the holidays but break the tradition of overeating.

2. Don’t graze, eat meals.  Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, conducts super-interesting research on why people eat more than they think they do.  His research finds that the average person has already eaten 90% of their daily calorie needs before sitting down to their holiday meal.

How is this possible? It’s all the grazing that’s done before the meal.  A little bit of this.  A lot of that.  More picking.  A little more picking. 

So instead of grazing, get a small plate and pick your favorite appetizers, sit down and enjoy every bite.  Remind yourself that you need just enough to hold you over (but not to spoil your appetite) until the main meal is served.

3. Be active. There really is no better time to be active than during the holidays.  The weather is nice (well, most places) and the gyms are free of crowds.  Before kids, I always signed up for a walk/run in late December/early January.  I plan to do it this year and ask some friends to join me.  This way, I can run ahead of time, use exercise as a stress reliever, and spend some much-needed time with friends.

Use exercise to feel good all season long.  Michelle Segar says it perfectly in this article on More.com. 

4. Practice a new way of eating.  I talk a lot on this site about eating intuitively – getting in touch with hunger cues and stopping when comfortably full.  We can learn a lot from our children when it comes to eating just the right the amount of food our bodies need.  And there’s no better time to practice an intuitive eating style than the holidays because most people aren’t dieting or trying to be “good.” 

So experiment with eating your favorite indulgent type foods, enjoy them without judgment and stop when you’re satisfied.  The key is reminding yourself that you can have more later in the day, tomorrow or the following day.  The same way people tend to eat more in anticipation of a diet, they actually eat less when they know they can have more if they want to.

In the book I’m always recommended to moms, Intuitive Eating, the authors say that their clients naturally fall into a diet that’s 90% nutritious and 10% fun foods.  Maybe it’s because they no longer need an excuse (holidays, sick, vacation, stress etc) to over eat foods they enjoy.

For mindblowing research on how dieting affects weight, see Evelyn Tribole’s 411 website.

5. Cut back.  The stress of the holidays makes matter worse.  Families aren’t eating together, food is grabbed in a hurry and many parents stay up late doing more stuff.  Ask yourself if you really need to do everything this year.  Maybe it’s time to cut back, be choosy about how you spend your time and focus more on enjoying the season. 

Any thoughts?  Got additional tips about getting through the season?

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References

Urbszat D, Herman CP, Polivy J. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we diet: effects of anticipated deprivation on food intake in restrained and unrestrained eaters. J Abnormal Psychol. 2002 May; 111(2): 396-401.

Roberts SB, Mayer J. Holiday weight gain: fact or fiction? Nutr Rev. 2000 Dec’58(12):378-9.

A couple of weeks ago nothing seemed to be working for me. The stress in my life became unmanageable so I utilized some strategies that clearly failed. I wrote about it in my guest blog for the Orlando Sentinel — Moms at Work Blog. I’m sure you can relate to how challenging it can be to get it all done. Especially with unpredictable (and cute) little ones running around.

As a mom, you don’t have to pay a lot of money for weight management advice. In fact, the best diet coaches just happen to be the same little ones running around your house.

Here are 3 things your kids can teach you about managing your weight:

1. Eat what you need: Young children are masters at regulating their food intake by getting exactly what they need. If kids graze on snacks all afternoon, for example, you can bet that they will barely touch their dinner.

Most adults have completely lost touch with their hunger and satiety cues. If this is you, make a point to tune in to how you feel at mealtime. Ask yourself if food is really what you need when you eat out of stress or boredom. Instead, eat when you are hungry and stop when satisfied. If you keep practicing, you’ll get better and better at it.

2. Enjoy life to the fullest: Young children need to be reminded to eat because they are so enthralled with life. Unfortunately, moms have so many responsibilities that they often forget what makes them feel alive. And when this happens, food can take on greater importance.

So make time for a hobby you love, call a friend to go out or reconnect with your spouse. Get back in touch with what you love about life and watch your desire to eat diminish.

3. Make physical activity fun: If you ever watch toddlers run and giggle you know how much enjoyment little ones get from being active. In fact, they hate to sit around when they could be moving. And they’re not picky about the “where” and “how” of physical activity.

Moms, on the other hand, feel like exercise is just another thing they have to get done. Instead of thinking of exercise in this way, look for pleasurable ways to be active. For example, turn on music at home and dance with your kids, chase them at the park and take time to walk and enjoy the view. See this article for more ideas.

The same things that can irritate you about your kids — picking at their meals, reminding them to eat and being active night and day — are the same things that can help you maintain a healthy weight. Not only can you learn from your kids, but you can remind yourself that you were like this when you were a child. And it might just be time to get some of the old you back.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters for more mom-centered health tips.

I write a lot about how moms need to make taking care of themselves a priority. Not only to be a positive role model for their kids, but to improve the quality of their lives and help them do their job better (day job and mom job). I am one of those so called “older moms” having my last child barely under 40. And now that I have two kids I’m more challenged than ever to fit in taking-care-of-me time.

Michelle Segar, a friend and colleague of mine, will be talking to Kelley Conners on live blog radio today about self care after having a baby (see below). The first time I talked to Michelle we instantly hit it off. We had the exact same ideas on how women can achieve healthier lives – and what gets in their way. The only difference is her expertise is exercise (and psychology) and mine is nutrition.

Michelle works mostly with midlife women but even you’re not quite 40, you can definitely get something from joining the call on Thursday, September 17th at 4:30pm (7:30 EST). As moms we need to find creative ways to take care of ourselves before time slips away and it gets even harder. If anyone can help you achieve a healthier lifestyle and manage your weight, it’s Michelle Segar. Don’t miss it!

Join Kelley Connors, host of Real Women on Health! in a new series, Mid-Life Mammas, which will take place on Thursday evenings at 7:30 EST and PST. Mid-life Mammas is for women over 40 who’ve just had their first or second baby! In this first of three series, Michelle will provide her insights on how coaching works, who is most successful in achieving results and how she helps women manage their weight, sustainably. You won’t be disappointed and there is no hype with this! Michelle Segar is America’s leading expert on exercise motivation for women over 40. She is the founder of the National Center for Women and Wellness and a Psychology Researcher at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan. She has a doctorate in Psychology and master’s degrees in Health Behavior-Health Education and Kinesiology from The University of Michigan. Her coaching service, EssentialSteps®, is sought after by women and companies nationwide.
Call-in Number: (646) 929-2625

A couple of months ago I wrote about getting back into shape after the birth of my second child. I must have struck a cord with moms because this was my most popular post so far!

I guess this shouldn’t surprise me. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine revealed that marriage, having kids and starting work are the most challenging times for women to exercise. We all know that parenting young children is a high-demand job. But no matter how easily it would be to justify, I just can’t give up exercise. Not only does it help me cope, it gives me the strength to do this very tough job. And after counseling clients for years, I know all to well that having babies is a time when excess weight can take root and grow.

As promised, I’m sharing with you my getting-back-into-shape progress. Every few months I review to see what’s working, what isn’t working and then develop a new plan.

But first…
A lot has been made about a Time magazine article claiming that exercise doesn’t help people lose weight. I’ve been familiar with this research for some time now. Basically, studies show that while exercise prevents weight gain, when it’s incorporated without reducing calories, it does little to budge the scale.

Fortunately weight is not the reason I exercise. After years of getting in tune with myself, I know that when I eat a balanced diet, honor my appetite and fullness, and exercise at a level that satisfies me, my weight seems to take care of itself. I also remember from nursing last time that my body likes to hold onto a few extra pounds until I wean.

I have to admit, after I got weighed in at the doctor’s a few months ago I was tempted to get rid of the extra weight fast. But if I did that I would’ve grown frustrated with my progress and ended up trying a more extreme approach. Then the extreme approach would’ve backfired because it would be difficult to sustain. Then I’d be back where I started.

Okay enough rambling…now to my progress.

What’s working
My goal was to build a fitness base and add on from there. The plan was to run when possible, do a postpartum core strengthening video on most days (15 minutes) and use hand weights a few times a week.

I’ve been most consistent doing the 15-minute postpartum video. This easily fits in my day and I really like how it has three levels, each getting a little bit harder. One time saver I discovered is that my 2-year old daughter loves to do the video with me. She yells “exercise” most days to signal her desire for the DVD and she usually wants to do it twice. We giggle a lot and repeat the lines. And it’s perfect to do during my son’s morning nap.

The early morning runs have also been going pretty well. Because my son has had trouble sleeping, there have been weeks where running early didn’t happen often. For me sleep trumps everything else. If I’m not getting sleep, I’m simply not productive.

At first I ran outside my place for about 20 minutes and have gradually worked up to 30-40 minutes. It was smart not to make any commitments to run because my son’s erratic schedule wouldn’t allow for it anyway. Being able to put on my shoes at a moment’s notice and head out the door has been key.

What’s not working
The at-home strength training never really happened. After the 15-minute video my desire to lift weights is nonexistent. So instead I’ve been doing the bare minimum at a gym at my mom’s apartment complex every Saturday.

I’ve come to the realization that exercise just isn’t going to happen after putting the kids to bed. I have tried to put off the video or weights for that time but I’m too resistant. I’d rather spend that time relaxing with my husband, writing for this blog or winding down. The more I try to do after 7pm, the later I seem go to bed – and that’s no good.

The new plan
A lot in my life has changed since that last post. First off, my son is (kind of) on a schedule and sleeps most of the night. My husband took a new job and I’m working two days a week. The best part of this change is I have a regular routine which makes it easier to plan. Based on my new schedule, this is what I’ve come up with to take my exercise up a level:

My husband will go into work late on Friday so I can get up and run. I plan to get up early Saturday and run before taking the kids to my mom’s. Sunday I’m going to do a whole body workout class at the gym (yeah!) down the street. Monday and Tuesdays are tough. I’m in negotiations with my mother-in-law to see if she can come over early one of those days so I can either take a spin class or run. I work Wednesdays and Thursdays. Eventually I might try to do something on my lunch (half-hour) when it cools down but for now I’ll just walk around as much as I can.

I’m going to discontinue the postpartum tape and move onto newer (and harder) Pilates/Yoga videos during my son’s early nap with my daughter on Monday, Tuesday and Fridays. I’ll move it up 5 minutes to a total of 20 minutes.

I want to join a running group but will hold off for now. I think I have enough on my plate!

So have I seen any results? I feel better and have more endurance running. My core feels stronger. And I finally weighed myself last week and found my weight down almost 7 pounds since that day 3 and ½ months ago. I’m not sure if it’s because of the exercise or just my body’s way of getting back to normal after the pregnancy.

Well that’s it for now. What do you do to stay in shape? Share your secrets with other moms. We need all the help and support we can get.

For more on this subject see Michelle Segar’s Habits of Highly Effective Exercisers on More.com

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters for more mom-centered health tips.