Vegetarians and vegans face unique problems when it comes to holiday overeating, but it is possible to stave off weight gain by following these tips.
As you might have guessed from the most recent poll, I have been thinking a lot about the typical holiday weight gain. The good news is it seems holiday weight gain is not as high as the 5 or 10 pounds people tend to assume will be packed on between Thanksgiving and New Year's. The bad news is that the slight gain people do experience tends to hang around until next season.
Some vegetarians and vegans have no problem staying slim, but there are plenty of meatless foods that are still high in calories and fat. Did you know that cup-for-cup, most egg nogs have more calories than ice cream? Some French fries are vegan, and what are the holidays without a few sugary-sweet hypercaloric frosted cookies?
So how can you prevent holiday weight gain?
- Substitute. Try an alternative holiday beverage instead or a steaming mug of vegan hot chocolate instead.
- Decide what foods are important to you. If you only cook a Tofurky once a year, have some of that and forgo the everyday dinner rolls.
- Remain flexible. Sneak in healthy snacks when you can, and eat in moderation if the goodies are just too good to resist. Know that plans will change. Sometimes, the best solution to overeating is relaxing and letting go of stress.
- Be prepared; bring healthy, veg-friendly snacks to the mall and keep some in your purse in case you get stuck in traffic.
- Eat well on days off from get-togethers to help balance the effects of over-indulging.
It is easier to prevent weight gain than it is to lose weight later; keep this in mind the next time your mother-in-law passes around the plate of Christmas cookies - again.
