Columnist Dr. Bill Andrade: Make plans to maintain your weight over holidays

Monday, Nov. 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

THE HOLIDAYS are a time to be with families and friends, have fun and pause long enough to give thanks for everything that we normally take for granted. But the holidays can also undermine the most consistent exercise program, sabotage the healthiest diet, deprive you of sleep and send your stress level into the red zone.

Today's article offers tips on how to enjoy the holidays without losing the wellness momentum you have worked so hard to achieve during the year.

Over-eating

Over the holidays, the average adult American will gain 5 to 7 pounds of fat even though one of three is already seriously overweight. Can this holiday splurge be prevented?

Begin by admitting that you will modestly over-eat. Then, forgive yourself in advance. Be realistic. Instead of trying to lose weight during the holidays, simply concentrate on maintaining your present weight. This will eliminate the all-or-nothing dieter's mind-set that can launch you into a caloric free-fall.

Before the big meal, drink alcohol sparingly. Besides unleashing your mealtime inhibitions, did you know that each ounce of hard liquor has about 100 calories? Mixed drinks can pack as many as 300 calories.

Anticipate situations that pressure you into inappropriate eating. Make specific plans to deal with them in advance. For instance, turn down poor quality snacks on airline flights and request a special meal in advance. Never go to a party "famished." Have a glass of nonfat milk or piece of fruit before leaving home. Never over-eat to please others. One clever way to be gracious about "seconds" is to take half portions of "firsts."

Travel

Five million people will travel through McCarran during the last two months of this year. Those who fly from west to east are the most likely to suffer jet lag. This year, try adding melatonin to your jet lag-prevention strategy. If you're flying cross-country on the red-eye, take 5 milligrams of melatonin before or during the flight. On the night following your arrival in the new time zone, take another dose of 10 milligrams 30 minutes before your new bedtime. If you are taking a daytime flight, take melatonin only the night after your arrival.

If you travel by land, start out rested and allow plenty of time for the trip. Did you know that slumbering drivers are responsible for 12,000 traffic deaths and 200,000 traffic accidents each year? Be alert and stay on course. This reminds me of the old Milton Berle joke: "One day, my wife drove up the side of a building ... and hit another woman driving down."

Exercise

Try getting more exercise to compensate for holiday over-eating. But be realistic and decrease the intensity of your workout. Can't go to the gym? Try walking. Did you know that walking a mile burns only 10 to 20 percent fewer calories than jogging a mile?

Look for creative ways to mix exercise into the holiday season. Your exercise routine can become a mental break from being surrounded by relatives. After the big meal, enjoy a leisurely walk with a friend, loved one or family pet. Stroll the mall to window shop and look at holiday decorations.

In other words, maintain your exercise habits by anticipating how to adapt to your surroundings -- creatively and flexibly.

Holidays are to be enjoyed, and maintaining good health habits over the holidays doesn't happen by accident. With foresight and planning, you can still enjoy yourself without losing control.