Ayurveda is all about being aware of how what you do impacts your wellbeing. During this time of year, it is especially challenging to stay the course. Parties offer enticing foods and spirits. Holiday shopping disrupts your daily routine. Extra heavy traffic (and extra time with relatives!) increases your stress level. Your practice sessions or workouts fall by the wayside.
All of this can contribute to weight gain. Before you know it, your big jeans fit like your skinny jeans. Don’t worry. You can curb the impact of the season and prevent that scale from edging onward. It’s all in the planning.
Here are a few ideas to help you put a beneficial party strategy in place:
Make it a Meal
Snacking wreaks havoc on your body. Ayurveda promotes the health benefits of a routine meal schedule—eating about every 4 to 6 hours. Snacking is disruptive to this natural cycle. It doesn’t give your system time to clean out before your next meal.
Instead of munching out at the neighbor’s holiday party before heading to dinner, pick one of the two and make it your meal. Either way you go, be sure to enjoy it. Don’t feel guilty if you opt for a dinner’s worth of appetizers. Just don’t complicate things by continuing to graze.
Of course, we maintain that the healthiest plan is to eat a wholesome meal at home before heading out to a party. Grab a few minutes of solitude and avoid temptation altogether. But who are we kidding? It’s December!
Chew 25
Have you ever tried to count to 25 chews before swallowing? It can try your patience. But grandma always cautioned you not to “wolf down your food” for good reason. There are real benefits to chewing more. It slows down the eating process. It gives your body time to signal that it is full. It even helps you experience the full flavor of the food, so less seems like more. Best of all, it is a great way to keep inquisitive co-workers and relatives at bay.
In the spirit of knowledge-building, check out these findings from a recent Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics study. (Spoiler Alert: It shows that chewing helps to keep the pounds off!)
Warm-up to Ginger
There are many advantages to sipping hot ginger tea this time of year, beginning with feeling cozy. Ayurveda uses ginger to kindle the digestive fire. This helps you avoid that “food coma” feeling and the build-up of “gook” in your body. As a bonus, if you get the winter sniffles, ginger is a natural expectorant, so it is a great remedy for relieving congestion. Also, try ¼ cup of ginger powder in your bath with a cup of baking soda. It is a special treat for your muscles and frayed nerves after a stressful trip to the shopping mall.
Note: Ginger is a pungent herb. It has been know to impact acid reflux symptoms and blood thinning.
Be Conscious of Your Alcohol Consumption
With wine, eggnog, spirited punch and cocktails flowing freely at most gatherings, it’s just festive to partake, right? Think twice. Not only are these beverages a major source of empty calories, they can intensify feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Don’t forget—alcohol is also a major contributor to sleep disruption (waking up at 3 a.m. tossing and turning). And your liver is already working overtime to process decadent seasonal foods. Think about giving it a holiday break.
If you love your wine, space it out with a glass of water in between. (Maybe warm water with a lemon wedge?) And be conscious of your wine sipping. Similar to chewing your food, taking small and less frequent sips helps you to keep a handle on your consumption. Studies show that you are more likely to have a second drink than a first drink. In other words, once you start drinking, it becomes much easier to say “yes” to the next round.
Avoid Loose, Roomy Clothes
Although those billowy black pants with the elastic waistband work for just about any occasion, avoid wearing them to parties. Excessively comfortable clothing can decrease your awareness of the telltale signs you’re overloading—namely bloating. There’s nothing like an outfit that “just fits” to keep your mind on practicing moderation. Snugness has an added Ayurvedic benefit. It helps to contain seasonal Vata energy.
Expand Your View of “Exercise”
Sticking to your regular workout or practice can be tough with all of the extra gatherings and holiday demands. Adopt a frame of mind that anything and everything counts. If you’re going to miss your regular yoga class or gym workout during this season, look for ways to improvise and give yourself a pat on the back. Common sense prevails here. Take the stairs. Park in the space farthest out from the store. Start the day with a few sun salutations at home. It all adds up.
Try any or all of these things over the next few weeks, but don’t lose sight of the joy of the season. You’ll be surprised by the big impact a little more awareness can have.
What tips, tricks and tactics do you rely on to manage weight gain over the holidays? Please share below.
