By LAURA LEONARD
Doctor of Chiropractic
Los Alamos

It’s that cozy time of the year again. Soft sweaters, aprés ski, hot cocoa, and the crackling sound of logs burning in the fireplace. Thanksgiving and Christmas are rapidly approaching and it’s not Rudolph leading the charge. Let Pinterest be your guide to all things delicious, beautiful and comforting.

With all of this glorious temptation around us … how are we to avoid gaining those extra holiday pounds while still enjoying some comfort food?

Tips To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain:

Hydrate

• Drink half your bodyweight in ounces per day. For every 30 minutes of activity add another 12 ounces. Mild dehydration generally shows up as hunger not thirst. It is estimated that dehydration is mistaken for hunger at least 60 percent of the time. That’s a lot of extra calories consumed when we just need to bump up our fluid intake. Hydration should be in the form of water unless you are sweating a lot and need additional electrolytes. Juice and soda are high in sugar and add empty calories to our daily intake that we don’t need. Caffeinated beverages and alcohol are diuretics which cause extra trips to the bathroom. These do not hydrate you and you will need to consume additional water to compensate. If you are doing extra party going and are consuming more alcohol than normal, bumping up your daily fluid intake will help boost your energy and limit your cravings the next day.

Get Your Steps In

• The holidays are generally busier than other times of year. Shopping, parties, family time cooking and entertaining get us off of our regular schedule. Workouts are harder to squeeze in with all of the extra activities on the calendar. If you don’t have much extra time just focus on your step count. Set a goal that is reasonable for you somewhere between 5,000-10,000 steps a day. Many of these steps can be sprinkled throughout the day by parking farther away at work and at the grocery store. Take the stairs whenever you can. When we set a goal that is achievable because it fits into our routine, we are much more likely to reach it. Steps equal burned calories and weight loss or gain is a balance between calories in and calories out.

Pick Your Poison

• Be intentional about what items you can’t go without. Enjoy your favorite treat, appetizer or dinner item and limit others. Avoid empty sugar calories by bumping up your protein and fiber intake during the day. For example, eat a salad topped with lean protein for lunch, snack on nuts, a couple of hard-boiled eggs or hummus and carrots. Planning is key … stocking the fridge with healthy items means you don’t go into lunch starving for a burger and fries. You will be more satiated and less tempted when you head to those holiday parties or family gatherings. Avoid that extra cocktail, glass of wine or dinner roll in exchange for eating dessert. Skip the appetizers and enjoy a cocktail before dinner. It’s all about planning your indulging in advance. We are all individual and there is no right or wrong here. Set some intentions on eating consciously before you even go into the holidays.

Dr. Leonard’s practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care and body awareness so they can manage themselves in between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is in the Mary Deal Building on Trinity Drive.