PowerPoint lecture I used for PGCC employees about weight management.

1. How to Manage Your Weight During the Holiday Season! Allison Miner, MS, CNS, LDN

2. Maintain Your Weight Do not try to lose weight. Instead, put your energy on maintaining your weight from Halloween through New Year’s. Trying to lose weight during this period is a no-win proposition. Take the burden off yourself and enjoy the holidays…within reason.

3. Plan Your Daily Menu You plan your income. You plan your hair appointments. You plan your work day. When you plan your menu, you take control over what you eat. Taking control over what you eat will help you control your weight.

4. Go to Bed! By going to sleep early, you avoid excess calories, reduce stress, and take control over your diet. This leads to better weight maintenance. In order to “stay awake,” many will rely upon eating as a way to stimulate the senses. This leads to weight gain.

5. Eat a Small Salad or Cup of Soup Before You… Go to the grocery Cook Eat out Attend a party

6. Adjust Your Food Intake If you know you are going out or to a party where there is lots of delicious food that you will want to eat, adjust your food intake before and after the event.

7. Drink Water Often we are thirsty but it manifests itself as hunger. This causes us to eat when what the body really craves is drink. Drink water before you eat. Drink water throughout the day. Drink water after you drink alcohol.

8. Out of Sight, Out of Mind Living species desire food and seek it out. That’s just a biological fact and ensures survival so we are simply obeying the rules of biology when we eat food that we see. As much as possible, stand or sit away from food and food displays. This is especially true at a party with a buffet.

9. No, but thank you! Practice saying NO to food that is not part of your planned menu. Know what you are going to eat before you go. If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything!

10. Say NO to Elastic! Lose clothes allow us to eat without consequences. They stretch in just the right places. Eliminate these clothes from your wardrobe except when exercising.

11. Count Your Calories and Make Your Calories Count We all know we must exercise to stay fit. But, how much exercise is needed in order to eat what we like? 1 slice of cheese pan pizza = 1 hour + 10 minutes of tennis (650cals) 20 oz Caffe Mocha with Whip Creme= 40 minutes of swimming laps (400 cals) 2 Godiva Chocolate Truffles = 20 minutes of biking (200 cals) 1 tablespoon of oil = 30 minutes of raking leaves (120 cals) 1 bagel & creme cheese = 2 hours and 30 minutes of dancing (500 calories) 1 slice of NY Style Cheesecake = 2 hours and 40 minutes of walking (700 cals) Small slice Apple Pie = walk 36 minutes or jog for 10 minutes to burn that off. 6 oz Cheesecake = walk 2 hours and 28 minutes or jog for 39 minutes 9 oz Chocolate mousse = walk 2 hours and 32 minutes or jog for 40 minutes 2-3 scoops Ice Cream = walk three hours and 42 minutes or jog 59 minutes.

12. #1 Tip Celebrate, rejoice, and enjoy the holidays! Focus on connecting with others NOT with food.