The weight gained during the winter holidays remains until the summer

Anna Stavina, XX2 century

The holidays are coming – it's time to eat, drink and have fun! But it's better not to allow yourself too much: half of the weight gained during the New Year holidays is likely to accompany you throughout 2017.

A recent study involving 3,000 adult volunteers from three different countries (USA, Germany and Japan) showed that within 10 days after Christmas, the participants' weight increased compared to the pre-holiday 10-day period. The average increase in body weight was 0.4% in the USA, 0.6% in Germany and 0.5% in Japan.

The body weight of the study participants increased as a result of other large-scale holidays. For example, after the Golden Week in Japan's weight gain averaged 0.3%. After Easter in Germany and Thanksgiving in the United States, this figure was 0.2%.

In general, compared with the minimum values of body weight for the year, Americans gained 0.7% (0.6 kg) after the Christmas holidays, and Germans – 1.0% (0.8 kg).

The results of the work were published in the publication New England Journal of Medicine (Weight Gain over the Holidays in Three Countries).

There is nothing surprising in the fact that holidays are associated with weight gain. According to the Royal Society for Public Health (Royal Society for Public Health) of Great Britain, on Christmas Day, residents of the country eat up to 6,000 calories, which is almost three times the recommended daily allowance.

However, the authors of the new study stressed that the weight gained during the holidays remains. Repeated measurement of the participants' body weight in the summer showed that they lost about half of the "festive" weight gain.

Based on the results of their work, study co-author Brian Wansink from Cornell University and his colleagues argue that medical professionals who recommend patients to control themselves more strictly on holidays should also inform people that the weight gain will remain for a long time: "It may be advisable to tell patients, that half of the "festive" weight gain will go away soon after the holidays, but the second will remain until the summer – and even longer. And, of course, the less a person gains over the Christmas holidays, the less he will have to make efforts to get rid of the gained weight."

"Festive" weight gain is easier to prevent than to work out in the gym.When it comes to festive food, saying "no" can be difficult.

Erin Morse, a leading clinical nutritionist at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, reminds that there are a number of healthy foods that can be eaten on holidays, such as cranberries, cauliflower or other seasonal vegetables and fruits.

In addition, Morse advises:

• Do not sit down at the festive table with an empty stomach. About an hour before dinner, you can eat an apple and a plate of vegetable soup. This will create a feeling of fullness and reduce the desire to put too much on your plate.
• Choose carefully. Think about whether what you eat is worth the calories it contains?
• Stay away from spicy snacks and dishes that excite the appetite. If your festive dinner is more like a buffet than a traditional feast, try to avoid the table on which there are snacks – otherwise you will start eating everything.
• Don't forget about physical activity. To burn all the calories eaten on the day of the holiday, long intensive exercises are required. But small efforts also contribute – why don't you go for a walk with your family after dinner?

Although the New Year holidays are considered a time designed specifically to relax and have fun with family and friends, during this period it is important not to forget about your health. If you do not allow yourself to eat too much and do not forget about physical activity, in the new year you will be able to avoid unpleasant surprises when looking at the scales, and hard work in the gym.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  27.12.2016