Holiday Weight Gain

On average, people gain between 9 and 11 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year's- inexcusable if you ask me but what do I know? I put on just shy of that (7 lbs.), and 5 of them are already gone. Here are a few easy ways to get the weight back on track:

• Eat breakfast every day to ensure blood sugar (glucose) stabilization and keep metabolism constantly active


• Eat foods that are "nutritiously dense" (think veggies like broccoli and spinach that offer a huge supply of vitamins, minerals, and fiber yet are low in calories)


• Assuming you're engaged in an exercise routine, make sure you are strength training. In a recent helath fair i worked at, I'd estimate of the limited number of people who admitted they exercised regularly, less than half engaged in resistance training. Sure, "cardio" (walking, cycling, swimming) activity burns calories but doesn't improve muscular strength and endurance- and bone density- the way strength training does. Get off the treadmill for once and pick up a challenging pair of dumbbells. Simple exercises like chest presses, lunges, and dumbbell rows will do the trick.