As I ate a traditional slice of pumpkin pie and whipped cream after Thanksgiving dinner, I felt happy connecting it with good memories.
Then, the fond remembrances dissolved as I did what I always do – got mad at myself because I knew extra pounds would inevitably follow.
The holidays have rolled around again, and with them, the ups and downs of cyclic emotions and weight gain threatened to overtake us. How do we go through the holidays without eating everything not tied down? How can we take care of ourselves when we're lonely, overwhelmed, or stuck with relatives with whom we have big issues?
This has to end I thought. I've got to find a new solution to stay balanced. For many people, holiday stress is closely related to hormone imbalance, yet if left untreated some folks have to take prescription tranquilizers just to survive the hectic Christmas season.
However, if that is not an option for you, what might be quicker than spending 20 minutes 2x daily in meditation? Similarly, what would be less grueling than 40 minutes 3x a week at the gym? And what would be more effective and less expensive than prescription tranquilizers? You guessed it: Nutritional products to balance adrenal function!
The Stress-Weight Gain Connection
Holidays can be the best of times, and the worst of times. They can be filled with joy, wonder, tenderness, and cheer. And they can bring on sadness, loneliness, anxiety, and stress.
Holiday stress and holiday weight gain can go hand in hand. With all the shopping, rushing about, traffic jams, swirling emotions, over-amped expectations, financial worries, family obligations, missed sleep, and missed exercise, it’s easy to hit overwhelm and succumb to stress. Combine stressors with holiday sweets, treats, and feasts creating temptations around every corner, it’s easy to put on a pound or two (or ten) over the holidays.
When you’re feeling stressed and hit the cookie tray, eggnog bowl, or fast food holiday special, momentary indulgences are more likely to transform into permanent belly fat than if you’re feeling cool, calm, and in control. Here’s why.
As I researched more, I found all the usual ways to prevent holiday weight gain. But these five gems were tucked away in several sources that I knew could actually help.
The good news: I really didn't have to curtail my eating that much.
Secret Weight Loss Strategies for the Holidays
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Start your day with plenty of protein. This is helpful especially during the holidays because when you eat protein, it takes much longer to digest and keeps your blood sugar stable for about 4 hours. Translation – you won't be hungry and you won't be craving sugar. Stress triggers cravings for fatty, salty, and sugary foods – and causes you to eat more than you normally would, even when you’re not hungry. This one-two punch can blow your healthy intentions straight out the window.
- Drink one full glass of water between every holiday alcoholic beverage. This is a winner in two ways: first, you stay sober, avoiding a lack of inhibitions which can cause overeating, and second, you drink less eggnog and alcohol, meaning fewer calories.
- Don't skip any meals. When you skip meals, your blood sugar screams for carbs. Carbs turn quickly into sugar, and excess sugar turns into excess pounds. Add more protein and veggies into your regular eating pattern and you'll have an easier time and won't go hungry at your holiday parties.
- Fill up on fiber, like a bowl of oatmeal, before a holiday party. Fiber will make you feel fuller and then it's harder to eat a lot at those office and home holiday parties.
- THE BEST KEPT SECRET OF ALL – Hormonal imbalance can literally make you eat. It's almost like a drug addiction, only the drug you crave is food, and you usually want only the bad carbohydrates like cookies, bread, cake, etc.
How Do You Know If You Are Hormonally Imbalanced?
As stress spikes your blood sugar, repeated spikes cause a vicious cycle of mood swings, fatigue, insulin resistance, and weight gain, which in turn makes blood sugar levels harder to control. This can lead to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health issues that contribute to heart attacks and diabetes.
Answer these questions:
- Are you sluggish and tired, even when you wake up in the morning?
- Do you gain weight easily and it won't seem to come off even when you exercise?
- Do you just keep eating, even when you know you're full?
- Do you have hot flashes and night sweats?
- Do you have mood swings?
- Do you have dry skin, acne, or dull, lifeless hair?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, your hormones may likely be out of balance.
But How Can You Be Sure?
Order the Weight Management Profile and help identify specific hormone imbalances associated with excess weight gain. It will take a couple of weeks to test and get the results so make sure you order the profile before the holiday season gets too hectic.
Once you have your results, if they show you have a hormonal imbalance, it's easy to have your healthcare provider create a hormonal balancing plan. Ideally, this will give you lots of energy, help you sleep like a baby, clear your head, and best of all, prevent those holiday pounds from sticking around, thus bringing you back to your desired weight!
Happy Healthy Holidays,
Lynn Larkin
co-founder of Canary Club
Recommended Canary Club Hormone Tests:
Weight Management Profile - get the core panel or add extra thyroid and/or cardiometabolic tests.
NeuroAdvanced Profile - neurotransmitters with hormone add-on options.
Articles on our site are not considered to be medical advice. Always see your healthcare provider for your specific medical
advice.
