December 2019

by Daniel Ostrowski

Tis the season of meeting with family and friends, pot lucks, office parties and any other excuse for us to eat all the nostalgic treats we all love.  With these feasts lurking around the corner, we say the same thing “I’m not going to overdo it this time,” and by New Year’s day we are dragging ourselves through the gym door determined to work off those 2, 5, or even 10lbs we packed on in just 60 day!!!!

Have no fear we’re here to help give you a few tips and tricks to beat this holy holiday bulk. This is not to say you can’t enjoy a treat or two, but know yourself and take precautions.

1.   Whatever You Do, Do Not Arrive Hungry!

It’s like going to the grocery store hungry. You are going to walk out the door with more than what you wanted. Planning ahead can help maintain discipline in the face of temptation. Drink water on the way to the party to fill up beforehand to help limit the ravenous impulses.

2.  Pace Yourself

Give yourself a second and take it all in (this is a metaphor). It takes around 20 minutes for you brain to register that it is full once you start eating. Chowing down as fast as possible is not the best way to limit those extra pounds. Chewing slower will fill you up with less on your plate. You can also try taking a sip of water after every bite, or right before you pick up your fork again.

3.  Keep Meals Balanced with Protein

Let’s be honest everyone’s grandmother makes the best stuffing! Buttery green beans, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and bread. The majority of your holiday meals are typically rich in carbs, but low in protein. Try to have more protein on your plate than the other stuff. Eating more protein is beneficial for weight control because it increases your metabolism and levels of appetite-reducing hormones.

A side note, limit your ham intake. The protein in pork takes the body the longest to breakdown.

4.  Limit Liquid Calories

Don’t waste your calories on sugary drinks. 8 ounces of Eggnog has around 223 calories, 11g of fat, and 20g of carbs, all from sugar. Then of course there’s spiced apple cider, hot chocolate, peppermint hot chocolate and so on. The sugar adds up fast.

Try limiting alcohol consumption. This is just a good all-around idea, not to mention excessive alcohol consumption can cause muscle atrophy and weakening. If you find yourself at a party and feel out of place without a drink, sip water or club soda, this will give you a drink like everyone else.

5.  Be Active with Family and Friends

With the cold weather ahead of us, it can be hard to find the motivation to get out and do something active. Sedentary activities, like watching holiday movies on the couch, are common traditions for many friends and families. Instead, go on a walk with the family, or find different outdoor events around your community. 5k’s and Fun Runs are very popular around this time.

6.  Limit Your Dessert Intake

Dessert is everywhere during the holiday season. This leads to excessive sugar consumption, and weight gain. Monitor what you are putting on your dessert plate. Better yet, use a smaller plate. Remember, the first piece of pumpkin pie tastes the exact same as the 5^th piece.

7.  Watch Your Snacking

The mindset of “It’s just one bite” throughout the day, or even one party can add up to a whole meal.  If you are going to snack, stick to 2 or 3 items instead of sampling the whole buffet of holiday goodness.

Another trick is, “just go for it!” Don’t try avoiding that one holiday treat you have had your eyes on. Finding yourself snacking randomly, avoiding your real craving. Sitting on your couch, surrounded by the contents of your fridge, lamenting over how you got there… Just me?

The simple truth is, we need to practice self-control and mindful eating habits. You may say to yourself, “What’s the harm in a little holiday weight gain, especially if it’s just a pound?” The problem is, most Americans never lose the weight gained during the winter holidays.

Let’s put our best foot forward and the fork down. Let’s have this holiday season be the one that doesn’t cause us to make the same New Year’s resolution.

Photo by Angelina Jollivet on Unsplash

Guest post by Dr. Brent Wells, founder of Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab in Anchorage, Alaska

The holidays are a busy time for most. There’s shopping taking place, holiday specials, department store blowout sales, children running around and cooking to be done. In all the holiday festivities it’s common to lack the sense needed to take care of the body, specifically the back.

It isn’t always remembered but the back is one of the most sensitive parts of the body that can be deeply burdened when the holiday season is upon us.

What Happens to the Back During the Holidays?

During the holidays it’s common to neglect the rest that the body needs, proper fluid intake is many times forgotten and the feet don’t always get a chance to be still and relax either. The holidays cause us to move fast and without repentance when standing in long lines waiting to get that special toy for that child waiting at home.

It’s a very exciting time but can also be a very unforgiving time of year. The holiday season is the very cause of many sudden and sometimes severe back injuries and doctor’s bills.
The back is strained much during the holidays for various reasons. Not only is the back strained but the body overall is taking on a new level of stress when it begins adjusting to the sudden change in activity and movement from one calm season to the busiest season of them all.

What Holiday Activities Cause Back Pain?

I see this happen each year. There are new patients and returning patients in need of major adjustments because they strained something while lifting. We assist many with massages also considering the next level measure of stress that lots of people take on.

Three major ways to injure the back if you aren’t careful include:

Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash

• Christmas tree decorating – When decorating a Christmas tree there is much bending to pick things up. There is also reaching that must be done to place the ornaments on the tree. Sometimes ladders are used for those high places that aren’t within reach, and sometimes to make it go faster extreme reaching is used in the place of the ladder.

The tree isn’t the only thing that’s decorated during the holiday seasons, but there are plenty of other places within a home, business, school or church that are also decorated. It’s smart to be mindful of how much reaching and how far you’re reaching, being sure to try and keep all things within arm’s length. If the reaching calls for you to reach beyond arm’s length, it’s best to use the tools available to help take the extra stress off the body.

• Cooking – Cooking entails much standing for sometimes long periods of time. Any amount of prolonged standing or even sitting can cause the back to become stressed. A stressed back leads to a strained back, which oftentimes leads to pain.

Remember to take time to rest your feet and take a seat even if it’s for short amounts of time. In between the cooking of whatever dish, take a moment to drink some water and be sure you’re practicing good nutrition also. It’s easy to forget to eat when you’re busy cooking for everyone else.

It’s not uncommon to want to hurry and get it all done but if you don’t have to get it all done in one sitting, take an early shift on and evening shift off. Choose to rest your body in preparation for whatever the next day entails, whether it be cooking, shopping or more decorating.

Your back will thank you for it!

• Holiday Shopping – Shopping is another task that many engage in during the holidays. With the never-ending sales, it’s not uncommon to leave in the morning and not return to the house until late.

The weight of the bags isn’t always something you may be mindful of, but the amount and weight of bags you carry around from store to store do matter. Much of your holiday back discomfort comes from the shopping being done that people neglect to think about.

Not only does the improper body mechanics when carrying gifts around bring extra strain, but the long lines and constant standing takes a toll on the back also.

What Steps Can I Take to Prevent Holiday Back Pain?

Step 1: In between stores take your things to the car so that you don’t have to carry them around from store to store. Even if you’re in a mall and it’s more convenient for you to carry everything rather than walk a mile to the car, it will help your back when and if you make the sacrifice and drop it off. Some stores have buggies so please take advantage of them and don’t try and be superman or superwoman and carry it all in your arms.

Step 2: Instead of doing all your shopping at once take some time to shop and then break for a meal and let your feet rest and then get back to it. If it’s possible to leave the children at home or with a family member you trust, then do that to help take the extra stress of off you while you shop. It will also help you avoid having to carry children around or hold a crying baby when you’re already handling heavy bags.

Step 3: When decorating be sure to wear comfortable and reliable shoes that helps to keep the body balanced and feet secure. Avoid reaching beyond what the body can comfortably reach for. Take breaks when decorating and maybe choose a day to solely decorate, and another day or couple of days to shop.

Conclusion

The holidays are very exciting and bring much joy but also angst and pain when we aren’t careful to take precautions when it comes to the health of our backs. As a chiropractor who helped thousands of Anchorage patients, I know the importance of taking care of your back during the holiday season.

Your back is important to us, your health is important to us and your sanity is important to us. If you are experiencing any pain before the holidays or maybe you don’t feel pain until the holidays begin, feel free to visit your local chiropractor to help you with whatever your body needs.

About Dr. Brent Wells

Dr. Brent Wells, D.C. is the founder of Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab and has been a chiropractor for over 20 years. His practice has treated thousands of patients from different health problems using various services designed to help give you long-lasting relief, such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage therapy in Anchorage and Juneau.

Dr. Wells is also the author of over 700 online health articles that have been featured on sites such as Dr. Axe and Lifehack. He is a member of the American Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians. And he continues his education to remain active and updated in all studies related to neurology, physical rehab, biomechanics, spine conditions, brain injury trauma, and more.