26 November 2012
Christmas may still be over a month away, but research conducted by the
brand TOTAL Greek Yoghurt has shown us that many of us have already given up
on our healthy eating plans to begin the Christmas binge fest, with most of
us believing we have no hope in the battle of the bulge over the next few
weeks.
According to the new research released today, by the start of next week
almost one in six people would have already given up trying to be careful
about what they eat and instead will be welcoming a month’s worth of
gorging, while almost half will be in full Christmas binge-mode by
Mid-December.
Around three quarters of those surveyed by TOTAL Greek Yoghurt are resigned
to the fact they will put on weight over Christmas, with one in 12 people
saying they saying they expect to gain half a stone at least over the next
few weeks.
Half of us think it will take us at least a month to lose our Christmas
weight, while close to one in six of us think it will take us a couple of
months to get back to our pre-festive season size.
Almost 60% of people say if they could find a way to have a low fat, low
calorie option as part of their Christmas meal they would, but only if they
wouldn’t lose out on taste.
However, Martin MacDonald, TOTAL Greek Yoghurt’s nutritionist and lecturer
at Derby University, believes that people can breathe easy. He said, “It’s
not as easy to pile on the pounds as people may think. It depends on factors
such as previous calorie intake, genetics, what foods are overeaten and of
course the degree of over eating. Most people will only gain 1-3 lbs of
actual fat.”
For a healthy individual to lose 2lbs of body fat, it will generally take
2-4 weeks, depending on things like gender, genetics, activity levels etc.”
Commenting on whether or not there is a simple formula involved in gaining
and losing weight, Martin went on to say, “It's not as simple as it sounds.
People believe that all calories are the same, but an extra 1000 kcals of
protein is very different from an extra 1000 kcals of carbohydrates or fat.
Therefore, not only does the amount of weight gain depend on the individual,
it also depends on where the extra calories come from.”
Martin’s Top 5 Tips to Avoid the Bulge over Christmas
1. Read the labels: Just because a food brand markets itself as low in fat,
it doesn’t mean it is low in calories or good for you: It could be high in
added sugars and preservatives. Watch out for occasions where foods contain
hidden extras!
2. Reduce the treats without even knowing: If you're going to eat mince
pies, try having them without the pasty top, or make your own chocolate
covered strawberries, rather than ploughing your way through a whole box of
chocolates.
3. Make Simple Swaps that you won’t even notice: Greek Yoghurt for Cream –
it has 80% less calories; Stevia instead of sugar; Roast sweet potatoes
instead of white potatoes or parsnips.
4. Stay Active: A pre meal and/or post meal walk is always helpful for
burning of excess calories and even improving hormonal responses to your
food intake!
5. Minimise your alcohol intake: In terms of minimising added extras, if you
have to drink, a better option would be clear spirits with a non-calorific
mixer: think gin and slim line (LOW SUGAR) tonic, NOT vodka and cranberry
juice.
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