Gaining Holiday Weight: Don’t Let it Get you Down
By: Keith
I‘m writing this as one of the biggest offenders of holiday indulgence. I gain 5 to10 pounds every year between Halloween and New Years. I’m not bothered by it though because I do it intentionally. I love the gluttony of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, and I don’t particularly care, at the end of it all, if my revelry results in a few extra pounds. This is the season of celebration, and my philosophy on it is such that I ignore the extra weight until it’s time to burn it off again come January. It’s all a matter of perspective. If I didn’t know I would lose this weight in January then I might be depressed that I was putting it on. However, since I have the security of knowing I’ll be back to 160 lbs by mid January, I can spend these couple of months enjoying myself – as I believe we all should. It comes down to basic math and a little willpower. When we know what to do and have the willpower to do it then it is suddenly nothing to panic about. In fact, it’s an amusing challenge I put myself through every year.
The Math:
One pound of fat equals 3,500 unresolved calories. In other words if your metabolic rate is 2,000 calories and you eat 2,500 calories per day (500 too many) then you will gain one pound every 7 days. Likewise, if you consume 500 calories per day less than your metabolic rate then you will lose 1 pound every 7 days. It really isn’t that hard to see how this works. If I eat like an idiot for a month or two then all I need to do is figure out what my metabolic rate is, how many pounds I want to lose and how quickly I want to do it. The rest is all willpower. Math plus willpower equals success every time. If I know that my metabolism will increase after a few weeks of doing the right things then I have nothing to worry about. Now, as we know, not all calories come from equally nutritious foods. That’s also something to be aware of.
Don’t be Stupid:
Obviously not all fat is the same. There is the good kind and the bad kind. The good kind doesn’t clog your arteries and kill you. The bad kind does just that. If you are a person with high cholesterol or prone to heart problems, then any amount of candy eating and bacon indulgence is too much. Plaque build-up in the arteries leads to death. But, if you’re like me, and you don’t have any of those issues, then a month or two of greasy eating is not going to kill you. If you’re already overweight or you’re already unhealthy, don’t use a holiday as an excuse to continue your downward slide. It’s unfortunate, but if you’ve already used your get out of jail free card then you’ll just need to pay the price first. No pigging out for you. Everything in life is about balance. Seriousness can be balanced with silliness. Exercise can be balanced with indulgence. Fat people need balance. Over exercised muscle heads need balance. That’s how it works.
It’s okay to have fun once in a while. Being healthy does not mean we have to live Sisyphean lives. We are allowed to relax, to take a break and pick up our task later. People get depressed around the Holidays. Depression happens when people see their lives as predetermined. Folks who gain a little weight might see that as a slippery slope and worry. I say we can feel secure in science. Science says that losing weight is a simple mathematical formula. The hard part is in our heads – the hard part is always in our heads. Chill out a little. Work when it is time to work, and play when it is time to play. Mixing those elements is unhealthy no matter which direction it flows.
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Great way of looking at things! I like the logical approach you set before us. Now I need some pumkin pie and Cool Whip! LOL
Thanks Brian. I wish I could have pumpkin pie. It’s one of my favorites, but nobody else in the family likes it so I don’t get it very often. Well, I console myself with pumpkin loaf and egg nog!
Eat, drink and be merry because who the heck knows about tomorrow!
Tomorrow we might all get hit by trucks! Let’s whoop it up now while we’ve got the chance! Thanks for the comment, mom
Yep. yep. yep. I agree with everything you said and exactly how you said it. especially that life needs balance no matter who you are. and this is one field that you have to trust in the science… science will set you free! this is timely.. I was JUST talking about gingerbread houses with the boys.. we’re back to home-made this year.. I was too lazy last year (newborn induced laziness)… those store bought houses tasted AWFUL!!
Hi Tammy and thanks for the comment. Gingerbread houses rock big time! the more toppings the better
Keith! That picture of those cookies is making me hungry! Shame on you… I may have to start my holiday baking early.
We’re big on pecan pie (with a secret ingredient). And the whole traditional turkey/stuffing/potatoes/yams and lots of green veggies, too. The December holidays get a variety of yummy foods from multiple traditions. DEFINITELY weight gain territory. But that’s what January is for (no candy holidays again until February).
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Ah, I love pecan pie (well, I love lot’s of pie really). I don’t know how to make a good pecan pie though. I’ll have to investigate that. Thanks for the visit!
Nice! I am not quite 160 I am a few pounds more but I like your philosophy. I love the gluttony of Christmas too. I eat like a pig and absolutely LOVE Egg Nog. I am good for about 10 – 15 lbs over the season but I am getting to an age where I cannot get rid of it quite so easily. I will try to play hockey at least 4 times this Christmas and go skiing twice so we shall see how I fair.
Keith, Hockey is a great calorie burn. The gluttony of Christmas is something that makes the Holidays what they are. without it it’s just a bunch of annoying relatives and spent money.
I love to eat! And I, along with other Americans, find food to be quite tasty– the momentary pleasure being more important than being fat. If fat people had their tastebuds and olfactory glands removed, I doubt that obesity would be a problem anymore– would you agree?
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Hi — I am wondering where you got the photo you used with this article — the overflowing Christmas cookies. I would love to use it on my website in December. Can you let me know? P.S. I agree with what you say. Life is too short not to eat Christmas cookies!
I just got back from In-N-Out. Had 2 burgers, a fries, and strawberry shake!
Oh yeah! ….it’s delicious. Congratulations! I’m from Perù.
I totally agree with your calculations and idea. Although I’m not a big fan of sweets, I love Japanese foods especially sushi and sashimi. I admit that I love to eat those food but I’m only going to Japanese restaurants once a week or once every 2 weeks. Although many of their food contributes to high calories (especially those I love), I never kick them out from my life.
Getting rid of my favorite foods will normally just leave me stressful and unhappy. Those stress with cause more harm to my body and more weight. When it comes to the food I love, I always treat it as a way to celebrate my success such as hitting a monthly target, getting some work done, etc. It keeps me happy and encourage me to achieve more in the future.
I used to read some magazines about losing weight. One of the tips is enjoy small amount of cake or candy once a week. It says pushing your body too hard will not lead to better results. Allowing the body to relax will help the body to go further in the future and lose weight more effectively. Enjoying food is important but most also not forget to discipline ourselves. Without discipline, “allowing” might lead to total disaster.
Thanks for sharing.