In this tongue-in-cheek (but truth-laden) guest contribution, health coach and Body Inc. founder Jacelyn Tay clues readers in on the three common strategies Christmas revelers use to preserve their waistlines.
The author at one of her classes on weight management. PHOTO: Daniel Poh
So you enjoy your puddings, pies and roast, but do not wish to share Santa’s wardrobe? The truth is, one cannot serve two gods. Cake or weight? You have to choose! Realistically, only three types of people will survive (and enjoy) this Christmas without waking up in 2015 with Santa’s bulge. Here they are:
THE WISE CHAMPIONS
These are humble people who know their limit. The female of this species limits herself to a daily intake of not more than 1,500 calories and the male, 2,000 calories. No matter how tempted they are, they will count the calories and stop eating when limit is reached. They are courageous because they dare to politely refuse that second slice of log cake from their host.
They are highly focused as they see only calories, not turkeys. They talk more and eat less during parties. They always serve food to people so that they avoid eating the food themselves. They also have the wisdom to know that patience in chewing their food promotes good digestion. They are the slow-and-steady-wins-the-race champions. (I belong to this type!)
THE OVERCOMERS
They fall into temptation again and again, but each time they will overcome and rise up! Overcomers may over-eat on Dec 23, but on Dec 24 they will cut down on all sugars, fats and refined carbohydrates like bread, biscuits and flour products while going for lots of fruits, vegetables and some meat for protein.
On this day of “atoning” the Overcomer only eats 1,000 to 1,200 calorie the whole day, and work out by running for two hours or running up and down the stairs for an hour to burn off 1,000 calories. They manage to purge naturally by moving their bowels once or twice on this day, and hence succeed in losing that one to two kilograms they put on the day before.
However, come Dec 25 they may forget yesterday’s pain and fall into temptation again. And then on Dec 26, they lose all the weight again and enjoy the net effect of no weight gain after Christmas.
Note: Overcomers are NOT bulimic. They use healthy methods such as exercise and eating low-calorie, high-nutrient foods to lose weight.
THE PROPHETS
They know that they will eat. They can even foresee the number of kilograms they are going to put on during Christmas. Hence, they will plan their calorie intake in the preceding weeks to lose that amount of weight prior to all the parties! Example: eating less than 1,200 calories a day, eating mainly vegetables, fruits and some meat. They will cut out all sugars and oily food because they know that they will be consuming these with abandon come Christmas season.
With the one to two kilograms they would have lost, they have room to tuck in at the dinner table without going up a dress size by the time they need to slip into their New Year’s party clothes.
