Eat Drink & Be Merry: The Skinny on Holiday Weight Gain

If it 'tis the season to be jolly, pour yourself liberal amounts of wine and down the turkey without all the fuss. The magazine sellers of America would have you believe you best eat like a rabbit if you don't want to gain 10 pounds this holiday season. The myth? Most Americans say that they gain approximately 5-7 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. The truth? Most studies like the one published by the National Health Institute find that average weight gain is 1 measly pound--allowing the money-making weight loss machines (books, pills, magazines and stores) to publish the truthful but misleading statistic that people gain 50%of the annual weight gain (which is all of 2 pounds) over the holidays. I say, survive the recession...not the holidays.

Before the weight-obsessed Americans (please differentiate that from the health-obsessed Americans) come running after me with their scales held high, understand that I am a very health-conscious individual devoted to the ideas of proper eating and exercise. Devoted within REASON. So together, let us face a few facts.

First, the reason *we* are overweight has nothing to do with the holidays. McDonald's is an everyday culprit not a seasonal one. Mickey D's too lowbrow? The average latte from Starbucks has 510 calories and 20 grams of fat. And yes, is oh so yummy (we'll discuss the implications of a 5 dollar cup of a coffee in a different context as I maintain it's not that we can't afford it in recession-it's that many of us never could)....as well it should be, given that you essentially had a McD's Quarter Pounder for breakfast (which has 512 calories and 29 grams of fat-with the cheese).

Second, the reason for the holidays even for the most irreligious among us is family and friends. Celebrations of love. A little syrupy but emotional syrup is non-fattening. For those who are familiar with the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to keep appointed times to cease all work and have feasts with their families. It's scripture for a reason-it's wisdom of the ages. There is a time and place for everything. There is a time to eat salad for lunch at your computer and to fit in an exercise session before the boardroom presentation. There is also a time that we all need mentally and emotionally, to eat macaroni & cheese (in the loaded down with butter and 17 cheeses and all other variations of lard variety-not the everyday reduced fat version) with our loved ones. We need a break from our routines and regulations and a chance to just plain celebrate being alive, especially in this economy. Especially in this world with its ups and downs because you don't know what next year holds.

Finally, little piggies, you only have 3 actual holidays--I never made any commitments in this tirade to allow for outright grazing for a month and a half. We'll be generous and make it a whole 7 for the requisite grubbing of leftovers. So take Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years (plus your 4 bonus days) to eat, drink & be merry. On the other 28 days of holiday season, get back to your regularly scheduled diet.

So how to stop the holiday weight gain? Don't. Treasure the time to stuff your face free of guilt and full of love. And if, horror of horrors, you do gain that one pound-jiggle that sucker with joy.