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Continuing with our lifestyle-based column, “Fit For Duty…Fit for Life!”, the U.S. Public Health Service
Dietitian/Nutritionist Professional Advisory Committee (D/N-PAC) begins a new series of articles aimed to
provide suggestions and encouragement to get you through the holiday season which is quickly approaching.
In practice and personal experiences, many of us already know that the key to weight loss, management, and
maintenance is watching what and how much we eat, getting enough exercise each day, and making behavior
changes that we can stick with and incorporate into our daily lives. The goal of this article is to get
each one of us to independently focus on those obstacles that challenge us during the holiday weeks. You’re
familiar with many of these that often appear in popular press publications: |
- Review your eating habits from the previous year's celebration. Does food take center stage at your holiday get-togethers? Do you genuinely enjoy foods like fruitcake, for example, or do you just eat them out of custom and tradition?
- Before digging in at a big holiday feast, imagine how you will feel after eating it. Visualize the bloated, uncomfortable, and guilty feelings you've experienced on past occasions.
- Learn to be festive without depending on alcohol. A drink here, a toast there -- the calories of alcohol can add up. Substitute club soda or mineral water for alcohol.
- If you're invited to someone's home for dinner, ask if you can contribute a dish, and then make it low-calorie (and be sure to make plenty as low-calorie foods are usually very popular).
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Of course, these are general statements and suggestions. My own response to the first question regarding food as center stage would be a resounding, “Of course it is! We are now an extended family of nearly
30 people! With a cultural heritage!” Let’s face it…recognizing that for many people, holidays mean good
food, and lots of it, such generalized holiday suggestions may be a turn-off. So, we chose to start this
series off by encouraging you to make your own list. |
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Making a List…
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The key here is that it is your list! You don’t have to show it or share it with anyone unless you want to. But, you should take the time now before the holidays hit to identify those factors or situations that you
either want to remain in control of or want to avoid. |
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Here’s an example: |
- Exercise daily
- Eat a healthy snack before attending the Smith’s open house party
- Continue to lose ½ pound per week
- Stay away from chocolate candy
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Checking It Twice… |
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Whatever your list identifies, check it twice. Make it specific and more importantly, achievable --
not another obstacle to overcome. Some of the items on the list above are too vague to set one up for
success. Others provide potential, unrealistic endpoints to measure along the way. Let’s check this list
again: |
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Assessment: This goal is vague and may also be difficult to maintain between hectic work schedules,
holiday festivities, travel, etc. One way to improve it is: |
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- Exercise 30 minutes for 4 days/week and 45-60 minutes 2 days/week. Take one day off per week to rest.
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This revised goal sets specific durations for exercise activity and specific number of sessions per week,
while offering flexibility for which days of the week are selected. It also grants permission to relax -- that’s important on many levels! |
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- Eat a healthy snack before attending the Smith’s open house party
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Assessment: This goal is acceptably written. It identifies what behavior needs adapting (eating a
healthy snack) to minimize a challenging situation (an open house with lots of food). |
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- Continue to lose ½ pound per week
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Assessment: The goal is stated clearly and, for some folks, may even be achievable. For others,
though, it may be too ambitious during these holiday weeks. And, failing to continue to lose ½ pound per
week may be undermining to longer term success. In such cases, modifying this goal to maintaining your
current weight or losing at a slower rate (such as ½ pound every 2 to 4 weeks) may be more realistic and
motivating to sustain. |
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- Stay away from chocolate candy
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Assessment: This goal is so absolute (and restrictive) that it can be setting one up for complete disaster.
If you have one taste of chocolate, even a Hershey’s Kiss, it’s a failure. No one wants to fail, but for
some individuals, breaking even a small part of their “diet” triggers a chain reaction to abandon all other
diet, exercise, and behavior changes that have been successfully working. In checking this goal twice, a
revision could be: |
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- Stay away from the chocolate candy that is on the front desk in the office reception area. Bring one miniature candy bar with lunch 2 days per week.
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This goal now offers control to an uncontrollable situation (a supply of candy left by someone else) while providing specific ways to enjoy a small treat so deprivation does not lead to extreme temptation and overindulgence. |
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Ready, Set, Go… |
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Make your list. Now is the time to do it. Check it twice before getting started. And, continue to check it,
revise it, add new or subtract old goals throughout the coming weeks. It’ll prepare you for the penultimate
list to come -- those New Year’s Resolutions! |
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Healthy lifestyle resources evaluated by the D/N-PAC and highlighted in this article will also be accessible
from the USPHS Dietitians and Nutritionists Category Web site http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~phsnutr/phsnutr.html.
If you have related topics of interest that you would like to learn more about in future articles, contact
CDR Jean Makie, Chair, D/N-PAC at makiej@cder.fda.gov. |
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