Gaining control: helpful solutions to overeating during the holidays

Most people easily gain five pounds over the holidays. At work, too many co-workers bring in decadent goodies. You may also attend holiday parties and family gatherings where it's difficult to resist the temptation of special holiday foods like cookies and candy.

As the holiday season approaches, many athletes may be anxious about gaining weight. Yet it is understandable to want to participate in holiday parties and enjoy yourself. After all, the holiday season comes once a year and nobody wants to miss the chance to sample special goodies. However, the concern about waistline damage that often accompanies abandonment of standard dietary practices may weigh on the mind.

One approach to handling holiday eating can be found in the abundance of nutrition articles that teach ways to make low fat cookies, fat-free gravies and crustless pies topped with nonfat frozen yogurt. Other articles suggest complete abstinence. While these suggestions are valid, they discount the warmth of tradition. It is difficult to deny yourself the traditional holiday foods you've enjoyed since childhood.

Let's take a look at holiday food consumption from another perspective. What happens if you jump in and truly overindulge? What are the consequences of gluttony? Will a few decadent parties sabotage your weight forever? Here are some answers to the questions nutrition-conscious people most commonly ask during the holiday season.

Question: When I'm confronted with my favorite holiday foods, I tend to eat out of control. Should I not eat at all if I know I'll have trouble stopping?

Answer: No. The threat of abstinence can trigger overeating. During the holidays, you may engage in "last chance eating." You listen to the nagging voice inside your head that repeatedly whispers, "Last chance to eat this treat. You'd better chow down now because you'll soon be back on your standard (boring) diet and won't be allowed to eat anymore goodies." Clearly, this type of thinking contributes to overeating problems.

To stop overeating at holiday parties, don't deny yourself special foods. If you truly love pie, you should eat it throughout the year. This way, it loses its appeal. There is nothing wrong with having a little pie every week. After all, even decadent foods can be incorporated into an overall wholesome daily diet. But remember there is a "diet portion" to any food. You can more easily be content with a diet portion if you know you'll be having more of your favorite food in the near future.

Question: Before holiday parties, I try to eat lightly during the day so I'll have more calories to spend at night. Is this a good idea?

Answer: No. If you skimp at breakfast and lunch to save up calories for an evening party, you set the stage to overeat. By arriving at a party too hungry, you'll fight an urgent physiological drive to eat and will likely succumb to overeating. When people get too hungry, they care less about what and how much they eat. They end up eating too much in an attempt to satisfy their overwhelming hunger.

One way to prevent gluttony is to eat an appropriate breakfast and lunch--even an afternoon snack. You then arrive at a party with the ability to enjoy the people more than the food. You'll have the energy you need to eat diet portions (one roll, not four; one dessert, not two) and will enjoy freedom from fighting the urge to overeat.

Question: If I overindulge at a party, will I quickly lose the weight I gained? Answer: Yes, because most of the gun is water weight. When you get on the scale the morning after a gluttonous evening, you may weigh two to four pounds more than usual--a sign that you've "carboloaded" your muscles. For every one ounce of glycogen, you store about three ounces of water. You'll shed this water weight when you exercise. You may even feel the benefits of holiday gluttony. Well-fueled muscles can lead to a great post-party workout, assuming there is no counter-effect from too much alcohol.

If you are destined to overeat, your best bet is to choose more carbohydrates than fats. Keep in mind, one pound of fat equals 3,500 excess calories above your normal intake. That's the whole cheesecake, not just one slice.

Question: Should I exercise more on Sunday if I overeat at a Saturday party?

Answer: Yes and no. Exercise is a good way to burn off extra calories as long as you exercise appropriately and don't punish yourself to the point of injury or exhaustion. People tend to gain excess body fat with repeated days of overeating, not just one spree. After a spree, you'll be less hungry and eat less if you listen to your body. You may feel hungry the morning after an eating binge, but you can easily satisfy it.

Nature does a good job of regulating food intake and body weight. People who follow their body's cues eat when they are hungry and stop when they are content. One or two aberrations will not create obesity in anyone.

Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., offers private nutrition consultations at Sports Medicine Brookline in the Boston area. Her popular Sports Nutrition Guidebook ($18) and NYC Marathon Cookbook and Nutrition Guide ($23) are available at your local bookstore or by sending a check, payable to Sports Nutrition Materials, to 830 Boylston St., Brookline, MA 02167 or phone (617) 739-2003.

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