The Clear and Possible Danger

(Weight gain after the Holidays)

Several years back I read an interview article on one of the James Bond actors. When asked about his diet strategy, he said that he obligates himself by shedding off 3 to 4 pounds. He then pampers himself at parties and does not seem to care at all about his being in shape, because even if he gains 5 pounds, he still maintains more or less his original weight. Clever!

In analogy, I believe so that this strategy can be applied to the clear and possible danger of gaining weight after the Holidays. By tradition, the Christmas season is a time for corporate and club parties, family and school reunions, party among friends, the ‘noche buena’, and the New Year revelry. Sometimes it does not stop at that point. It still goes on and on from the Day of the Three Kings and up to the Chinese Spring Festival. Food glorious food! You can just imagine how fat, unhealthy, and overweight you will be if you don’t control yourself. It’s the season to be jolly, palalalalalalalala, but always try to avoid “food temptation.” Here are some tips

1. General rule: Don’t feel guilty after the party. Enjoy the party and the lights and glitter that goes with the occasion but always leave the bash and merrymaking feeling just well and satisfied and not with the feeling of being fully stuffed with calories that you might regret to have taken irresponsibly.

2. Don’t wear loose-styled clothing at parties. Walk into the party with posh and style by wearing your exact-fitting dress or clothes. You will not notice that you’ve drank or taken a lot of food if you wear loose dress during a gathering.

3. When it’s buffet, try to delay food by letting a sugarless candy melt inside your mouth. Try sugarless gum. Have some meaningful conversations with party-people and relatives before plunging into the buffet table.

4. Scan the buffet table first. Skip the dishes that you are able to eat or experience on ordinary days of the year. If you don’t like a dish, skip it.

5. Don’t come to the party with an empty stomach. People have the habit of skipping meals during the day to reserve some space inside their tummy for the get-together. It’s a misnomer. Eat your normal meal for the day. In this way, you will eat sensibly at the party.

6. Water therapy first. The moment you arrive at the party and maybe before the meal or before going to the buffet table, try filling yourself with a glass of water. Wait for more or less about thirty minutes. This will give you time to have some conversations or ‘chika-chika’ with your friends at the event. This time also allows the water to sip inside your stomach. You will feel a little bit full and will never crave or dive for food like you’re starving.

7. Dance the night away. Join the fun and games. A party can be a form of exercise. Dancing will make you sweat. Games equate to calorie expenditure.

8. Limit yourself on appetizers. While you reserve yourself for the main course, just get two items on your plate at a time when you go to the buffet table. You can always get back to try the rest of the dishes.

Enjoy the Holidays!