Getting back in shape after the holidays

At Christmas it's wonderful to find yourself at the table with friends and family, enjoying all the delightful holiday specialties. But it's easy to go overboard, which means after it's all over you'll have to try and lose those extra pounds. Here are a few tips on how to stay in shape, or at least get back in shape without too much effort once the holiday season has ended and things get back to normal.

◆ Holidays & Calories

Tortellini, pandoro, panettone, nuts, torroni nougat, etc., not to mention all the lunches, dinners and snacks; the holiday season can undermine all the good work we have done throughout the year in terms of maintaining a healthy diet, shooting our calorie intake through the roof. The statistics confirm that almost half of all Italians (46%) feel they need to go on a diet after the holidays, whereas only 7% manage not to exaggerate during their winter vacation. It has been estimated that during the fifteen days between Christmas and Epiphany the average Italian puts on from one and a half to two kilos of extra weight that, despite their good intentions and brave resolutions, they seldom manage to completely eliminate. It's easy to gain weight.

Nutritionists are quick to point out that a traditional dinner, complete with all the courses, can amount to (and in some case surpass) a total of from 1,500 to 2,000 kcal, whereas snacks and appetizers composed of nuts and various sweets add another 300 to 400.

◆ Christmas Dinner

Bombarded as we are with a tantalizing succession of antipasti, first courses, second courses and desserts, accompanied by lovely wines and spumanti, it is indeed difficult to remain faithful to our earnest pledges to maintain alimentary moderation. So, by all means, banish the thought of a grim Christmas or New Year's diet, opting instead for a healthy dose of the sort of common sense that counsels trying absolutely everything, but in small quantities.

Speaking of exercise, a great way to take advantage of all the leisure time one has over the holidays is to engage in a little extra physical activity, but here as well, don't go overboard. People who are already following an exercise program should definitely continue with their regular routine, while people who have been too busy to exercise during the rest of the year may find that the Christmas holiday constitutes a perfect opportunity to finally follow through on all those good intentions and begin an appropriate exercise program.

◆ The Day After

The first thing to do is eliminate fried foods, fats, sweets and all elaborate, fancy foods, in general, replacing them with vegetables, pasta, fish cooked in paper or steamed, and vegetable or legume soups which also help to purify our bodies. Even when you are dieting, however, you have to eat a variety of things in order to maintain your physiological balance (and not become bored). For example, fruit should not be completely eliminated, just be sure to select the varieties that are lowest in sugar and eat them well away from mealtime, as a healthy snack. You should increase your intake of vegetables, bearing in mind that they contain lots of fiber and vitamins, essential for the proper functioning of our bodies, and that, if they are eaten raw at the beginning of a meal, they help us to feel fuller and more satisfied. If topped with simple vegetable and tomato sauces, pasta represents a well-balanced dish that is not high in calories. When it comes to meat, try to stick with the so-called white meats (chicken and turkey breast) and lean delicatessen meats, like prosciutto with all the fat trimmed off or bresaola (a cured beef similar to pastrami).

And finally, beware of cheese! Even the ones marked as low-cal still contain quite a bit of fat. In order to not completely eliminate them, you could eat a portion of cheese as your main course for dinner or lunch, combining it with a dish of mixed vegetables.

◆ A Helping Hand From Mother Nature

In order to purify our bodies it's necessary to drink lots of water: at least a liter and a half of still water, spread out over the course of the entire day. Real coffee should be replaced by barley coffee or decaffeinated tea. Tisanes can also help to eliminate that bloated, heavy feeling. The most highly recommended ones are verbena and anise, which have a digestive action, as well as artichoke and fennel, which, in addition to promoting digestion, are also diuretic. They can also be good for liver function.