Avoid holiday weight gain

By Leslie Garcia - 12/02/2008

You may not lose weight during the holidays, but personal trainer Annette Hammond says the goal is not to gain weight.

The personal trainer has been in the fitness business in Dallas for 26 years. That's 26 holiday seasons, dozens of turkeys, gallons of stuffing, ladles of gravy, enough pies to carpet a small apartment and countless relatives saying, "Oh, just one more, dearie." So how does she — and how can we — enjoy the holidays without porking out? Ms. Hammond has five suggestions.

1. Energize with exercise. "After 30 minutes on the treadmill, the pending visit to your mother-in-law's house will not seem so overwhelming," she says. "The Christmas cards that you have not sent out will not seem like such a big deal." 2. Be a party planner. Think about the party before you go. Will you have eggnog (400-plus calories per cup) or wine (120 calories per glass)? Eat something before you go. Showing up hungry is not a good thing.

3. Weighing yourself is the way. Yes, hop on the scale every day. "Be especially aware during the holidays, and make modifications in your eating and exercise as needed," Ms. Hammond says. The goal isn't necessarily to lose weight, it's to not gain weight.

4. Exercise your self-control muscle. "The more you use it, the stronger it gets," she says. Fill a salad (not dinner) plate with fruits and vegetables. Leave a small spot for high-calorie foods that you crave.

5. Ix-nay on eprivation-day. Have just a taste of the gooey, fatty, devilishly yummy stuff. ‘Tis the season, after all.

During holidays, balance is key By Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden McClatchy Newspapers The winter holidays are almost upon us, and many of us yearn to create a picture-perfect scene at home.

Too often, we're wrought with stress. So here are a few tips to keep you sane, smiling, balanced and, we hope, healthy, drawn from our recently released book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Secrets of Longevity." Here are five secrets to keeping your body in balance: