Here's a depressing quote from a popular health site:

"If you overeat during the holidays intending to make up for it by cutting back later, your weight may suffer.

In a study of people who agreed to overeat for 2 weeks and gain several pounds, the study participants didn't eat extra lean after the overfeeding period ended. Instead, most returned to their typical baseline caloric intake and shed only half the weight they had gained."

Bummer. I was planning on doing that.

Anybody have any get-out-of-jail-free tips for losing weight after the Christmas pig-out?

I am going to go on South Beach diet again for the remainder of the year. That way I can eat turkey and gravy and all the vegetable dishes but I won't be having mashed potatoes, stuffing or baked goods. It's easier for me to just put things out of the diet altogether than to try to regulate intake of the deliciousness.

I will no doubt break some rules but at least it will be for the very best of the temptations like my mom's Christmas cookies rather than for 2 servings of stuffing.... I can deal with taking a bite of it instead of pigging out on stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Hopefully this will work because I unfortunately put myself in the position of actually needing to lose weight over the holiday season... argh.

I rarely eat any more during the holidays than any other time. When I'm full, I stop eating...simple as that! I will almost always have a little of everything that I like, but I tend to like veggies and meat far more than the potatoes and bread, so it's not a big deal. I don't put butter on anything, so that's not an issue either.

The one thing is the sweets...I'll have a bit of the things that I really like, but don't pig-out on anything.

I've never been one of those that gains weight over the holidays - I'm usually far too busy to have it be a problem!

"In a study of people who agreed to overeat for 2 weeks and gain several pounds, the study participants didn't eat extra lean after the overfeeding period ended. Instead, most returned to their typical baseline caloric intake and shed only half the weight they had gained."

All that means is that most didn't cut back later. That does not mean that you won't. IF you feel certain that you will cut back, then eat what you want. All effective diets are dependent of one basic fact - If you burn off more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. When I was in high school and on the wrestling team, I always ate as much as I wanted at the holidays. I never gained weight from that, because I burned off the calories by working out. I never had to work out any harder because of the holidays. I started my senior year in very good shape at 170 pounds, and wrestled at 133 pounds. The only problem I ever had making weight was when I drank too much water (more than 8 or 10 ounces) within 12 hours of weigh-in.

Personally I see a yearly swing of +/- 10 to 15 pounds - I gain weight in the winter due to less activity, losing that weight in summer due to more activity. Yes, I do have those feast days, but then that's really just a handful of days spread out over 2 months time (thanksgiving, Xmas, possibly New years) I mostly gain weight do to lack of as much activity. Also our seasonal diet changes, in the winter we eat more "heavy" foods like starches, dry stuff, canned stuff, meat in the summer I eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Same amount of food (pound for pound) less calories in the summer than in the winter.

I assume that you understand that humans are supposed to gain weight in the fall, keep that poundage during the winter and in the spring start shedding weight again. It's the survival thing, you know our ancestors had to gain weight in the fall or starve to death or freeze to death during the winter. Around here with the thermostat kept at 70F during the day and 65F at night, a few extra pounds keeps us warm In the summer with the thermostat set at 80F during the day and 75F at night having less weight leads to coolness. I think too many people use artificial environments attempting to keep a “spring” environment in their homes year round upsetting the delicate balance between the seasons.

Even if you do eat more during the winter you should lose that weight not just by eating less, but eating lighter (like more fresh vegetables, salads, etc - less calories pound for pound) after the winter season. Further you should be doing more stuff (exercise) in the spring and summer (you know, planting crops, hunting wild game - er - that's what our ancestors did). If you eat by the season: Winter eating more fatty foods (heavy foods) summer eating more salads and "cool" foods or "light" foods - you will see a change of weight throughout the year. Most people, however, tend to eat the same year round with the exception of more "heavy" foods for the holidays.

Of course it’s not healthy to gorge for 2 weeks solid and then hopes to loose all that weight by just eating a little less. I seriously doubt that the people tested are anything like "active" individuals who see seasonal changes in activity.

quote:

Originally posted by babthrower: "If you overeat during the holidays intending to make up for it by cutting back later, your weight may suffer.

In a study of people who agreed to overeat for 2 weeks and gain several pounds, the study participants didn't eat extra lean after the overfeeding period ended. Instead, most returned to their typical baseline caloric intake and shed only half the weight they had gained."

Trying to lose weight is like trying to save money, but each works in the opposition direction of the other. Overeat, and it is easier to overeat to gain weight than undereat to lose weight. Overspend, and it is easier to overspend to lose money than underspend to gain money. Well, we know what we are supposed to do. Moderation. That's the key. However, inconsistency comes in. So we will just have to take the holidays off the calendar and never bring home whatever should not go into our mouths. Willpower? The only solution is to save the money which we would improperly spend on food--an across the board solution which keeps the weight off and the money in the bank. Moral: feed the piggy bank, not the piggy.

You can also eat less or super healthy on days when there is no party or when no one brings treats into the office or to your home....If you eat a lot on the night of a party, eat less the next day...If you know you will be eating extra in a few days, try to be good until then...Having a few feast days won't break you and like DG said the study gave what most people tend to do, not what WILL happen. I say enjoy, life is to short to worry about a few pounds.