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Beware of Christmas pounds! Cookies, mulled wine, bratwurst, waffles – culinary dangers lurk around every corner in the run-up to Christmas. On the three days of Christmas, people really feast. And sport and exercise are not neglected during the holidays.
With such an imbalance between calorie intake and consumption, the scales quickly show a few kilos more. No wonder, then, that according to the...Studyby Diaz-Zavala and colleagues, each German gains an average of 0.4 kg and 0.9 kg over the holidays.
So not gaining weight at Christmas seems to be a real challenge for many. Of course that doesn't have to be a bad thing, after all you should treat yourself to something. But it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to gain weight.
But really: getting slim over Christmas is possible!
Christmas dinner without a guilty conscience
1. Cook and bake low-fat
Don't worry, you don't have to miss out on anything this Christmas. Nevertheless, you should pay a little attention to what ends up on your plate. You should be generous with vegetable side dishes or salads - you can really fill yourself up.
Turkey meat is better than fatty duck or goose! If you still don't want to do without the typical poultry, you should choose a small piece, preferably without skin, because this is where most of the fat is hidden.
Also tasty and less calorie-rich: fresh fish! Salmon, for example, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which provide an extra dose of vitamin D.
Be careful with sauces – they are particularly high in fat. So you shouldn't necessarily drown your food in sauce.
Tipp:Cook the gravy one day before eating and keep it cold. Then you can skim off the fat.
The following applies to dessert:If you've already finished your main course, you should only treat yourself to a small portion. If you bake yourself: Simply replace half of the required amount of fat with low-fat yogurt and a tablespoon of semolina. Also, do not grease the baking pan, but line it with baking paper.
Looking for inspiration? Then take a look here:
2. Eat slowly and enjoy
Yes, it's damn tasty and yes, you'll want to shovel everything in very quickly. Stop! Eating slowly is the motto for everyone who doesn't want to experience a nightmare on the scales after the holidays. Because our feeling of fullness only sets in after 15 to 20 minutes.
If you eat too quickly, you run the risk of stuffing yourself uncontrollably. So take your time, chew well and enjoy your food. After all, it's not a race.
3. Stop eating when you're full
No matter how delicious it is, stop eating when you're full! After all, it's not for nothing that our body tells us when we can stop eating. Or do you want that unpleasant feeling of fullness in your stomach that makes you barely able to move for the rest of the day?
Tipp:It's better to take a smaller portion at the beginning rather than filling your plate. When the plate is empty, our brain automatically thinks: I've already eaten a whole plate, that's enough!
You should know these:
4. Water instead of alcohol
How do you get through the holidays without gaining weight? With lots of water! Don't worry, you can of course treat yourself to a glass or two of red wine, but you should use alcohol sparingly. Alcohol is not only very high in calories (half a liter of red wine corresponds to the calorific value of a currywurst, half a liter of beer to that of a chocolate bar), but it also makes you crave sweets.
Tipp:Drink a large glass of water before Christmas dinner, it fills your stomach a little. Also good: warm ginger water! The tuber helps against feelings of hunger, and ginger also has a digestive effect and lowers cholesterol levels in the body.
Between years:
5. Take sugar breaks
Nasty calorie traps at Christmas are mainly the many small sweets. Here a cinnamon star, there a gingerbread - we unconsciously consume so many calories from lots of sugar and fat.
Tipp:Don't always reach for cookies, chocolate, etc. in between. It's better to eat the sweets as dessert right after the meal. Take breaks between meals so that the body can burn off what has been eaten. The rule of thumb is: four hours between meals! If that seems impossible to you, you should use tangerines instead of sweets. They are low in calories and full of vitamins. A few nuts as a snack are also fine.
Our extra tip:Spice your tea or coffee with vanilla, cinnamon, anise or cardamom. This drives away the desire for sweets.
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6. Keyword: movement!
From the dining table to the sofa and back again – very few people think about exercise and sport at Christmas. But nothing comes from nothing and if you don't want to gain too much weight over the holidays, you shouldn't just lie satiated and lazy on the couch.
Tipp:Endurance sports such as running, Nordic walking or cycling burn a particularly large number of calories. If that's physically too much for you, you should at least take a digestive walk after eating. This stimulates fat burning - especially when it's really cold outside. Because at low temperatures, the body uses more calories to keep warm.
Important note at the end:Your body is as individual as your character. You have to find out for yourself which diet and which form of training suits you best. Don't let others put pressure on you. In principle, however, the following applies: an active lifestyle with a balanced diet and lots of exercise is still the best way to stay fit over the long term and achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
