Don’t feel guilty about indulging over the holidays: dietitian

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 11300 – Don’t feel too guilty about that third helping of mashed potatoes at your Christmas dinner — it’s the holidays, or at least, that’s what many people tell themselves.

Alexandra Inman, a clinical dietitian at Surrey Memorial Hospital and co-founder of A&S Nutrition Consulting says don’t feel guilty. “Even if you go a bit overboard, just keep in mind it’s only one or two days of the year. Don’t feel guilty and restrict your food or make up for it the next day — just try to resume your normal eating and incorporate some of the physical activity again into your life.”

Skipping meals can be a big detriment to your weight management, explains Inman, as studies have proven that swapping out breakfast or lunch in exchange for a bigger dinner leads to overeating later on. Some of the sneakiest culprits include liquid calories, like eggnog.

She adds it’s understandable and tempting to eat leftovers in the fridge, especially on a day when it’s snowing heavily outside. “Even when it’s really snowy and you can’t get to your normal exercise, you might want to try some holiday-specific things like skating, or even taking a walk around the neighbourhood and shovelling the snow in your driveway gets your heart rate up and your blood pumping, and counts as your physical activity for the day.”

Inman says what will help satisfy your cravings is if you appreciate the treats you have over the holidays and remind yourself to get back to working out right after.

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