10 Tips to Keep Off Those Holiday Pounds
“One moment on the lips, six months on the hips!” ~ Rika Keck
Yes, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, and that means the Holiday season will go into full swing. Festivities will abound, but so will the potential of gaining a few extra pounds… As we head into 2020, it is easier if we do not need to schlepp extra pounds into a New Year!
10 Tips to Keep Off Unwanted Pounds During The Holiday Season!
- Plan ahead. Keep your eating on a regular schedule. If you end up skipping lunch, chances are good you might overeat the rich hors d’oevres at a cocktail party. My ballet teacher used to say: I have never forgotten that.
- Maybe have a healthy pre-snack at home. This can include, e.g. 3 mini carrots with humus, or a small dish of yoghurt, or even a tablespoon of almond butter with a sprinkle of sea salt and a stick of celery. Going to a party with stable blood sugar is key, so you can elegantly whiff away the tray of hors d’oevres – and the glass of wine is not going to spike your blood sugar and insulin.
- Maintain your regular exercise program. In case there is a conflict, up your steps and check yourself on the I-phone app. Keep walking – well, if one can on the busy pavements.
- Get into fresh cold air – shock the system. This increases youth-promoting agents called heat-shock proteins, plus while being cold for 5-10 minutes it will rev up your metabolism! No need to head into an ice bath or CoolSculpting at a spa. Take off some clothes, go outside and get a whiff on NYC air – These days you might get a whiff of weed too…!
- Get enough sleep! Science has shown that a lack of sleep increases insulin production. Think insulin = fat deposition. From the Mayo Clinic: “Research suggests an association between sleep restriction and negative changes in metabolism. In adults, sleeping four hours a night, compared with 10 hours a night, appears to increase hunger and appetite — in particular for calorie-dense foods high in carbohydrates.”
6. Alcohol: need I say more… go easy, instead of a full glass, opt for a half glass, and a glass of water (help the kidneys to flush out of toxins.)
7. Avoid artificial sweeteners that actually make you hungrier.
8. Just eating nuts and seeds will not be enough to stabilize blood sugar. If you eat some nuts and seeds, add some raisons or a small piece of fruit = Yes! Add some carb!
9. Let’s talk about the liver – During Holiday season it might quiver! It is here that neutralization and detoxification of alcohol occurs. If you experience flushing or redness when drinking alcohol, that is a histamine reaction. (Worthy of another blog post.)
10. Intermittent Fasting (F) – Yes, it is trendy but effective. Give the digestive system a break, reset the microbiome, and allow the cells to clean themselves. Start with a 12 – fast overnight, and see how you do.
Consider optimizing liver health, starting with liver-friendly organic foods:
- Apples that contain pectin, which binds toxins and metals.
- Lemon juice, beets and beet tops that encourage bile flow. The gall bladder is underappreciated in its role in detox, yet it is a key player.
- Garlic is rich in selenium and a potent detox mineral, thyroid-helper, and immune-supporter – however not party-friendly! On a night at home, dose up in your home cooking.
- Make sure the GI is working well, so you can produce B-12. This is needed to for internal housekeeping inside the body, and healthy brain function.
- Cruciferous vegetables are in season: Cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, brusssels sprouts all come to the rescue for alcohol detox. These foods are higher in sulfur and this is needed for detox pathways in the body. But they are also higher in fiber and can create bloating and gas for some. An Epsom salt bath can help too with magnesium sulfate.
- Grapefruits: Long live natural vitamin C. Eating some of the white peel is helpful to assist in metal detoxification, and vitamin C will help as an antihistamine.
- Consider Liver Detox teas such as milk thistle, green or dandelion tea. As we do not want to leave out the kidneys, hibiscus tea or colorful berries assist heir health. Use of raw apple cider vinegar (Braggs’ brand) also helps to cleanse the body.)
Last not least, you might want to go easy on the Egg-Nogg. And do remember:
“Calories Have To Be Worth It!”
Rika Keck, is the founder
NY Integrated Health.
Rika is trained extensively in Applied Clinical Nutrition, Metabolic Typing, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and Exercise.
As a Health Expert, she is able to address underlying metabolic imbalances contributing to e.g. digestive ailments, weight gain, food sensitivities, skin conditions, fatigue, Candida, immune dysfunctions, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, painful joints and detoxification concerns. In addition, she can provide a metabolic - health evaluation of blood labs.
As an Exercise Expert, she is able to facilitate improved function, sports performance and post-surgery rehabilitation exercise. As a Health Advocate, she is an impassioned and knowledgeable speaker on a broad range of holistic Wellness topics.
Contact Rika Keck at: www.nyintegratedhealth.com/
646 285-8588
Thank you for these comments Rika. I would like to add that in my research on this topic I’ve learned that we each need to know our own body. We’re not all the same inside. Since learning what I need to eat for ME, I not only keep a steady weight, but I’m also now fine in cold weather & much healthier and much more resistant to catching colds, etc. I’ll be 80 years old in May 2020 and I’m healthier than I was 15 years ago.