How to look healthy after the holidays

Now that the holiday season is over, you’ve probably put on a few extra pounds because of the endless parties you’ve attended. Indeed, losing weight can be a challenge during the holidays because food is everywhere. With cookies, cakes, chocolates, fruitcakes, and other goodies greeting you no matter where you go, it’s no wonder most people start the New Year in bad shape.

Although most people gain about a pound during the holidays, this extra weight increases over the years and may lead to major health problems later, according to researchers at the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

“The problem is in gaining a pound or two and not working it off, even with good intentions and New Year’s resolutions. The gain stays on and adds up each year, in a decade it’s 10 or 20 pounds. That can lead to obesity and related health problems such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes and other maladies,” said Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

To ensure that you start the New Year right, here are some practical tips from Walter Weight Control Bread with High Fiber. This white bread is enriched with oat and vegetable fibers to help keep you feeling full without the calories.

Walter Weight Control Bread is 98 percent fat-free and has 50 percent less sodium to help you maintain a healthy weight. Combined with a sensible diet and exercise program, it will keep you in shape and help you avoid life-threatening diseases associated with obesity.

Make a commitment to lose weight and keep it off. How many of us start diets to lose a few pounds here and there to simply fit into a nice dress for a wedding or party. Often we have no intention of keeping the weight off once it’s lost. Commit yourself to good eating habits that will lead to long-term good health.

Choose a well-balanced and nutritionally sound diet. Include rice or bread, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and sources of protein like lean meats, poultry, fish or beans daily for optimal nutrition. Be wary of diets that use only one food group like high-protein or all-fruit diets.

Attack the fat. Fat is a concentrated source of calories. And fat taken through the diet is more readily stored as fat in your body. Stay away from high-fat foods like butter, margarine, mayonnaise, nuts, chocolates, deep-fried foods, gravies, whole milk, cheese, ice cream, and pastries.

Increase your fiber intake. Fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds provides the dieter with many benefits. It slows down food absorption, provides bulk in the stomach that gives one a feeling of fullness, is more difficult to chew, slows down eating, and protects against various ailments like diabetes, some cancers and heart disease.

Eat smaller portions. Even low-calorie foods add up when you don’t watch how much you eat. Use kitchen measuring cups, spoons or a diet scale to keep your serving accurate. Try using a smaller plate to make your meals look larger.

Get moving. Aerobic exercise burns calories and stored fat and increases the metabolic rate. Biking, brisk walking, swimming and dancing are good forms of exercise. Just remember to start slow. Don’t make time or the lack of it an excuse not to exercise.

Thou shall not be tempted. Don’t keep high-calorie snack foods like potato chips within your reach. If you are attending a social event with lavishly prepared foods, take small portions and stay away from high-fat foods.

Set realistic goals. A loss of one to two pounds per week is safe. Weight lost rapidly is nearly always regained. Don’t be discouraged if your rate of weight loss slows after the first week. Part of the initial weight loss on any diet is water. As your body adjusts, weight loss will continue.