Its Ok For Weight-watchers To Eat More At Christmas

The upcoming festive season can be a major headache to weight-watchers due to the temptation that started confronting them the moment the stores went into holiday mode. Dieters should never forget that they are human first and weight-watchers second, and that humans do submit to temptation; it's a natural phenomena and nothing to feel guilty about.

The secret to not being left out at Christmas starts around now with a few simple rules.

Rule 1. For every 3,500 extra calories that you consume you will gain one pound (450 grams)

Rule 2. Set a maximum limit that you are prepared to gain during the holiday. Not forgetting that what you gain you must also lose after the holiday.

Rule 3. Start now to identify foods that you love and check the calorific value per serving. Also check the serving quantity. This is where most weight-watchers hit trouble; they set the serving quantity themselves rather than accepting what the experts say.

Rule 4. When you have identified the special foods that you like calculate how many calories, in total, that you will consume (above your normal calorie intake) and plan to eat that amount and only that amount extra.

Rule 5. Over the holiday move your exercise pattern up to the next level. - If you walk for 30 minutes each day normally, increase it to 45 minutes during the holiday period. You can make this three 15-minute walks if this suits your schedule better. Naturally if you can make it one-hour exercise that is even better but do not over-extend yourself, particularly if you have a medical condition.

Rule 6. Now set the program that will make this extra weight go-away after the festive season. For each pound you wish to lose each week you need to burn off 200 calories each day by exercise and eat 300 calories less each day. 500 calories each day is easy.

In the developed world the average daily calorie intake is 3,500. The average adult needs 2,000 calories each day to remain healthy so you must never drop below this intake.

The great thing about calories is that although there is only one way to receive them - FOOD. There are two ways we can lose them - LESS FOOD and MORE EXERCISE. When you understand that simple equation you will take back control of your weight.

Note: Never try to lose weight at a rate greater than one-pound (450 g) each week. More than this and you will put it all back on again within a few months.

This article is (c) copyright David McCarthy 2005. You may reproduce this article on your website or ezine in its entirety only with no additions.

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