After the Holidays, Now What?

     Did you overindulge during the holidays? Let's face it, most of us do. My carefully-orchestrated plan didn't quite work out as planned. I was going to spend only a few days home for the holidays, but ended up going home shortly after finals ended. As a result, I have been surrounded by the savory smells of baking and my family's constant snacking for a week.I have kept up an exercise routine, and I have tried to only give in to foods I will truly savor, like traditional holiday favorites rather than fattening snacks I could have any other time of the year.

     But still, there were times when I did overeat. So I now have to come up with a new plan. As someone who suffered from an eating disorder, I know that dieting, for me, is just not going to work. I will instead try to eat even more healthily than normal, by choosing the healthiest option at each meal. I will still choose foods I enjoy, but when faced with several options, I will choose to most filling for the lowest calorie count. I will probably be eating a lot of soup and salad. But I will no longer allow myself to go hungry as a sort of "punishment" for my sins.

     If you've also had problems with disordered eating and gained some weight this holiday season, you know that it takes 3500 calories to make a pound. Even if a single dinner came to 3000 calories (which would assume you had no reservations about partaking of everything), that still doesn't equal a pound of weight gain. If your weight is up, a majority of it is probably also bloat. Try to eat especially well for a week or so. It will be helpful to get back into a normal weight management routine, and then assess the damage, rather than assuming you've gained weight by believing the scale right now. Remember the average American only gains a pound during the holiday season. And keep in mind that small dietary changes are ultimately more beneficial than any crash diet.

     And even if you've never had an eating disorder, it's really not necessary to diet for a pound. By just resuming your normal diet and exercise plan, one pound will melt away on its own. The stress of school will be here all too soon. Cash and home-cooked meals will soon be scarce. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

     So have you gained any weight over the holidays? Or were you able to stick to a plan that worked for you? 

It Is Only A Pound...

     After reading an excellent post over at the Disordered Times, I feel compelled to clarify the reasoning behind my previous post. While a one pound weight gain is not a big deal, people tend to gain and keep it on, year after year. And it's much easier to prevent than to lose. 

     If you suffer from disordered eating, realize that a one pound weight gain this year does not necessarily mean you'll do the same every year.... if you're struggling now, or are newly recovered, this year will present new challenges that you will be better equipped to deal with years down the road.

Have a healthy, happy Thanksgiving!

*Erin

Thinking You're Unhealthy is Associated with Later Weight Gain

     I read an interesting study today. The Danish Nurse Cohort Study, which analyzed the weight changes and "self-reported health" of 13,684 women, found that those who reported poor health at the beginning of the study were the most likely to gain weight. It seems believing you are in poor health can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

     In 1993 and 1999, the nurses completed surveys about their lifestyle and health. To determine how healthy these women believed they were, the researchers asked "How would you rate your health in general?"

     While the researchers suspected that BMI and self-reported health would be related, they were surprised at the results. Women who were of normal weight, but reported poor health, were more likely to gain weight over the course of the study. Overweight women who lost weight did not report better health at a lower weight. Perceptions about our bodies are hard to shake.

     The researchers proposed that women with unhealthy lifestyles were likely to report poor health. Underlying illness is also a factor. But I suggest that the women's feelings about their body also played a part. 

      This study is of special interest to young people, because we're currently developing lifelong habits. If you're thin now, but engaging in other unhealthy behaviors, they will catch up with you later in life. And if you don't feel good about your body, and you don't recognize it's capacity, you likely won't take care of it.