WHY DO SO MANY OF US GAIN WEIGHT OVER THE HOLIDAYS? Office parties, school plays, church concerts, and family gatherings are likely to include food and many of those nibbles and treats are loaded with sugar and fat. Couple the increase in consumption with a few skipped workouts, and you have a tried-and-true recipe for weight gain. Another culprit we face during this time of year is stress. Trying to do too much in a short period of time is tough and may lead to lack of sleep. Being tired adds to the stress and food can provide needed comfort. A unique seasonal stressor comes from feeling obligated to spend time with people that we don’t truly enjoy. Every family has some kind of challenge or drama that can easily get
exaggerated with the right kind of fuel and the holidays have been known to provide it year after year. Food can once again come to the rescue!
WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT A FEW POUNDS?
Tipping the scales during the holidays means starting the new year with a little extra weight. Even if it’s just a few pounds, they don’t always come off that easily. For many, it eventually adds up over time and, before you know it, you’re carrying around 20-30 pounds of extra flab.
WHY IS THIS YEAR DIFFERENT?
Large events with big buffets will be infrequent as we close out 2020, but invitations to small family gatherings will likely come your way. We will have to thoughtfully decide which loved ones to spend time with and figure out how to do so while trying to stay healthy. The anxiety that comes from those decisions can add to your worries, leading us to search the refrigerator for something that will make us feel better.
Fighting the
FEAST
'T
By Kathy Sears Hall
is the season. The temperatures are dropping, the leaves are turning, and the holidays are upon us. Traditionally, this has been a time of gift-giving, party-hopping and desserteating, not to mention a sleep-challenging and stress-evoking frenzy! It’s a precarious time for health-conscious people and can throw anyone’s wellness routine off track. While this year’s activities may not include as many parties and events as in the past, extra calories will still find a way to tempt us over the next couple of months. So, how can we enjoy the foods and drinks we love without overdoing it and then regretting our choices?
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
I
DECEMBER 2020
