As soon as the schools open in fall, I personally can only think of all the Holidays approaching and yes they creep up faster than we can vision and the issues of overeating on those long weekends already start to "weigh down" some of us! Indulging in the rich, sugary, creamy fatty foods over the holidays just cannot be avoided as its the part of traditions of these holidays, maybe it be of any faith. I guess in the olden ages people didn't seem to be obsessed with calories like we do? The holiday season starts with the Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and continue to Hanukkah, Diwali for Hindus, Ramadan for Muslims and Christmas for Christians and Kwanza by December. December is also the season for all the parties and new year's celebrations!
In U.S. the sugary traditions start in the fall with Halloween candies. Average Americans consumed 25 pounds of candy per capita last year. 40% percent of parents admitted to sneaking candy from their own give away bowl and about 90% admitted to sneaking candies from their kids loot. We will also consume about 675 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving day itself! This is not counting the accompaniments along with it, not to forget Christmas dinners the very next month. Feeling guilty already? There goes the "flat belly" plan for a lot of us and specially the ladies working on strict diets and exercise regimens of summer. How can we keep the belly flat, the weighing scale steady and keep the love handles in check the morning after the holidays but still indulge? Many are already planning on their next "new years resolution" of weight loss plans and "I will join the health club once all the parties are over". Some will go on the "GM Plan" "Red-Code", "I was once 300 Pounds"and "You too can l lose 25 pounds in 2 weeks" yo-yo fad diets and avoid carbs for a few days. They will lose their water weight for a few weeks but be a "pain in the rear" for the rest of us by their crabby, dizzy, hypo-glycemic selves and then gain it all back in no time! Only a few strict and highly disciplined health buffs will do the right things and will stay in shape regardless but what about the rest of us?
Well this particular discussion is really about those few extra 3-5 pounds we tend to gain over long holiday weekends and few days of continues parties and is not the discussion about the long term weight loss plans! I still believe that personal discipline is the key in the long term healthy life style. I want to tackle those monday morning "weighing scale blues" lets see what can be done to flatten the stomach for the next weekend as soon as the 'party hard' weekend gets over. Same actually goes for the vacations. I will never suggest the crazy extreme diets or starving. This discussion is more about those "belly bloat" which comes with the goodies. Fortunately its quickly reversible and easy to do! So here are some ways reduce the guilt and the pounds without starving and missing out on the holiday goodies......
A) Lets tackle the Carbs issue first. Do not cut the carbs down to zero, or diet severely as that will put the body in the starvation mode and the metabolism will slow down and you will be sapped out of energy. Instead cut down of heavy carbs like pasta, bagels and breads etc. You will then use the carbs stored in body for energy and will help you reduce bulk and water weight with out the negative effects.
If your belly bulges after a high-carb meal like pasta, complex carbohydrate-rich foods may be the cause of your bloat, says Jackie Wolf, MD, author of A Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Stomach. Most starches, including potatoes, corn, pasta, and wheat, produce gas as they are broken down in the large intestine. Gas can then make the stomach bloat. So reduce carbs but don't completely cut them off. Eat brown rice or switch to open face sandwich instead of two slices of bread with lean meats like white chicken or turkey!
B) Salt is a big culprit in the temporary weight gain holidays or not! When we intake higher-than-usual amounts of the salt, we’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to that sluggish feeling, puffy appearance, and extra water weight. That will make the stomach look bloated and poofed out. Reduce salt and drink a lot of clear fluids the water retention will reduce. A lot of processed meats have excess salt so stay away from them along with the ready made TV dinners, they are awash in salt too.
C) If you are a fiery food lover like me then cut down the hot sauces etc for the time being. For some people hot food means a lot of gastric juices which can cause acidity and can cause gas. Avoid pepper, nutmeg, cloves, chili powder, onions, mustard, garlic,horseradish, and acidic foods such as tomato sauce, and vinegar. If you still crave hot food use lime or lemon juices and yogurt to cut down the acidity.
D) Alcohol in moderation is the best policy always but during the weekdays avoid it completely. Alcohol in the body increases dehydration and the body tends to hold on to the water instead of letting it flush. Drink a lot of water and avoid hard drinks to avoid gastric acidity. Alcohol also has empty calories which should be avoided.
E) Sugar alcohols like Maltitol (sucrose) can also cause gas, bloating and even diarrhea. Even chewing gums can cause gas as some of them have sucrose.
F) Mild physical activity can actually reduce a lot of stomach bloating issues. Even if you are not a regular at a gym, mild activity which will increase heart rate and breathing stimulates the natural contractions of the intestinal muscles, helping to prevent constipation and gas buildup by expediting digestion.
In U.S. the sugary traditions start in the fall with Halloween candies. Average Americans consumed 25 pounds of candy per capita last year. 40% percent of parents admitted to sneaking candy from their own give away bowl and about 90% admitted to sneaking candies from their kids loot. We will also consume about 675 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving day itself! This is not counting the accompaniments along with it, not to forget Christmas dinners the very next month. Feeling guilty already? There goes the "flat belly" plan for a lot of us and specially the ladies working on strict diets and exercise regimens of summer. How can we keep the belly flat, the weighing scale steady and keep the love handles in check the morning after the holidays but still indulge? Many are already planning on their next "new years resolution" of weight loss plans and "I will join the health club once all the parties are over". Some will go on the "GM Plan" "Red-Code", "I was once 300 Pounds"and "You too can l lose 25 pounds in 2 weeks" yo-yo fad diets and avoid carbs for a few days. They will lose their water weight for a few weeks but be a "pain in the rear" for the rest of us by their crabby, dizzy, hypo-glycemic selves and then gain it all back in no time! Only a few strict and highly disciplined health buffs will do the right things and will stay in shape regardless but what about the rest of us?
Well this particular discussion is really about those few extra 3-5 pounds we tend to gain over long holiday weekends and few days of continues parties and is not the discussion about the long term weight loss plans! I still believe that personal discipline is the key in the long term healthy life style. I want to tackle those monday morning "weighing scale blues" lets see what can be done to flatten the stomach for the next weekend as soon as the 'party hard' weekend gets over. Same actually goes for the vacations. I will never suggest the crazy extreme diets or starving. This discussion is more about those "belly bloat" which comes with the goodies. Fortunately its quickly reversible and easy to do! So here are some ways reduce the guilt and the pounds without starving and missing out on the holiday goodies......
A) Lets tackle the Carbs issue first. Do not cut the carbs down to zero, or diet severely as that will put the body in the starvation mode and the metabolism will slow down and you will be sapped out of energy. Instead cut down of heavy carbs like pasta, bagels and breads etc. You will then use the carbs stored in body for energy and will help you reduce bulk and water weight with out the negative effects.
If your belly bulges after a high-carb meal like pasta, complex carbohydrate-rich foods may be the cause of your bloat, says Jackie Wolf, MD, author of A Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Stomach. Most starches, including potatoes, corn, pasta, and wheat, produce gas as they are broken down in the large intestine. Gas can then make the stomach bloat. So reduce carbs but don't completely cut them off. Eat brown rice or switch to open face sandwich instead of two slices of bread with lean meats like white chicken or turkey!
B) Salt is a big culprit in the temporary weight gain holidays or not! When we intake higher-than-usual amounts of the salt, we’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to that sluggish feeling, puffy appearance, and extra water weight. That will make the stomach look bloated and poofed out. Reduce salt and drink a lot of clear fluids the water retention will reduce. A lot of processed meats have excess salt so stay away from them along with the ready made TV dinners, they are awash in salt too.
C) If you are a fiery food lover like me then cut down the hot sauces etc for the time being. For some people hot food means a lot of gastric juices which can cause acidity and can cause gas. Avoid pepper, nutmeg, cloves, chili powder, onions, mustard, garlic,horseradish, and acidic foods such as tomato sauce, and vinegar. If you still crave hot food use lime or lemon juices and yogurt to cut down the acidity.
D) Alcohol in moderation is the best policy always but during the weekdays avoid it completely. Alcohol in the body increases dehydration and the body tends to hold on to the water instead of letting it flush. Drink a lot of water and avoid hard drinks to avoid gastric acidity. Alcohol also has empty calories which should be avoided.
E) Sugar alcohols like Maltitol (sucrose) can also cause gas, bloating and even diarrhea. Even chewing gums can cause gas as some of them have sucrose.
F) Mild physical activity can actually reduce a lot of stomach bloating issues. Even if you are not a regular at a gym, mild activity which will increase heart rate and breathing stimulates the natural contractions of the intestinal muscles, helping to prevent constipation and gas buildup by expediting digestion.
G) Some kinds of meats and certain veggies can also bloat the stomach. Meats like red meat in particular and veggies like onions, artichokes contain fructose, a type of sugar, while another sugar, raffinose, is found in asparagus, and also in brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbages. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that are packed with water. Berries, grapes, and citrus contain a near-equal ratio of the sugars fructose and glucose, making them easier to digest than fruits with more fructose, such as honeydew, apples, and pears.
If you want OTC belly-flattening aids, you can try Gas-X.or peppermint capsules to kill bacteria that cause bloat and aid digestion. Take a daily probiotic capsule or just simply yogurt. You can also try antacids like Pepto and mylanta for a few days.
If you want OTC belly-flattening aids, you can try Gas-X.or peppermint capsules to kill bacteria that cause bloat and aid digestion. Take a daily probiotic capsule or just simply yogurt. You can also try antacids like Pepto and mylanta for a few days.
In conclusion, we can certainly counter temporary belly float and those few extra pounds after a weekend of binge eating but remember that flat stomach v/s bloated stomach demon is more in your own head rather than public and is very subjective. You may feel "fat" but it may be impossible for others to notice at all. Don't jump on the scale multiple times a day and give yourself some breathing time to recover. You need to feel good about the holidays and relax so don't let these things ruin the holidays or vacations for you. As far as the exercise regimen and healthy diet goes, always remember that its never too late to jump back on the bandwagon again!
~Dr V
~Dr V
