OyChicago blog

If you are reading this post expecting a secret recipe to drop weight fast in advance of the holidays, you are out of luck. The truth is there is no magic bullet (for weight loss) or supplement to melt a few pounds off your belly. However, you do not have to starve yourself or workout for hours on end to escape the holiday bulge.

Starting at Halloween, and continuing until Jan. 1, candy flows like ragweed (it’s a bad year for those of us with allergies). People don’t want their kids to eat 20 pounds of candy, so it’s in the office. And then the guy who lives at the end of the block, but buys candy just in case, brings in his Costco bag of M&Ms.

All this sugary goodness is too much for anyone to handle. If you are human, something will call your name and you will be powerless to avoid it. Here are some tips to eat less candy:

1. Give away, hide, or throw away leftovers.

2. Pick your favorite and have one “fun size” treat and move on.

3. Be strategic: don’t walk past the pile of chocolate when you are hungry.

4. Combat crap with cut-up fruit and veggies.

5. If you over-indulge, move on—literally. Take a quick run up the steps, burn some calories and then let it go

6. Don’t feel guilty saying “NO” to the office sugar-pusher. “I baked this from scratch, it took me eight hours,” they’ll say. Well, sugar-pusher, it’s called a bakery—open one up and sell your deliciousness there. In college there is peer pressure to drink, in the office there’s pressure to eat. And then later in life it’s pressure to take fish oil.

We all fall off the healthy wagon. Don’t worry about it; worrying only makes things worse. Yes, worrying can make you gain weight. I won’t get into the science, but if you ever watch late-night television, someone is always selling a pill to reduce your levels of cortisol. Balance your stress levels the old fashion way: exercise, meditate, read, have fun, and be better tomorrow.

Of course if tomorrow is a holiday party, you might be in trouble. Holiday parties usually mean two things: excess food and excess booze. Both are sworn enemies of skinny. Plan for the parties and you will survive. Be the person that brings the hummus plate with veggies, bakes a chicken dish, or brings fruit for dessert. Sure, people will give you a dirty look, but everyone wants to eat more veggies and fruit. I also recommend eating before you go to parties. Don’t eat a huge meal, but combine some healthy veggies with some of these things pictured below:

Picture courtesy of www.strengthguild.com

Drinking alcohol, a.k.a. liquid calories, kills a diet faster than Halloween candy. Beer is probably the worst, but wine and vodka are not far behind. Have a drink or two.

Check here for a list of a few common drinks and their caloric damage.

I promise you can still have fun and enjoy great food while following these easy suggestions. If you have any great holiday health strategies, please comment below. Have a great holiday season!