2023-12-29 05:00:00
Choosing healthy foods helps prevent holiday weight gain at the end of the year and reduces cardiovascular problems. (Illustrative Image Infobae).
During the end-of-year festivities, healthy habits are often affected by excessive consumption of high-calorie foods, alcoholic beverages and, in some cases, smoking. Excesses can lead to increases in cholesterol levels, blood sugar and body fat gain. One way to avoid this is to moderate your consumption of both desserts and alcohol.
It is possible to mitigate the consequences of these excesses by following exercise routines, even when reducing their intensity or opting for lighter activities such as walking. Regarding eating habits, experts maintain that it should be considered that restrictive diets could be avoided by consuming small portions of a seasonal dish, after reviewing the food ingredients.
Meanwhile, the results of physical training help avoid a sedentary lifestyle during the winter holidays while maintaining adequate weight control. In addition, it improves cardiac and metabolic health in overweight people during the end of the year, the results of which can prevent the worsening of pre-existing cardiovascular diseases in the long term. The before and after of the holidays.
Exercise routines such as bike rides or low-intensity walks are enough to maintain good health during the holidays. (Darkroom).
Physical activity during the holidays is a preventive measure against weight gain and exacerbation of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in overweight and obese people, according to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH).
Among the main benefits in the group that exercised during the study were adequate weight control and a reduction in cardiometabolic problems such as blood pressure and insulin insensitivity. On the contrary, those who avoided exercise experienced an average weight increase of 0.67 kilograms. The main problems in this group were deterioration in indicators such as waist circumference, insulin sensitivity and cardiorespiratory fitness.
In contrast, the active group avoided these problems with nine holiday training sessions. In addition, improvements in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were observed, while insulin sensitivity was preserved and the progression of hypertension was prevented. In addition, the study highlighted the relevance of cardiorespiratory fitness, which decreased in those who abstained from exercising during the holidays.
Seasonal dishes can be consumed to a minimum to avoid health problems. (Pixabay).
Faced with the high risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems in people with MetS, physical exercise during the holidays emerges as an effective strategy to prevent the deterioration of cardiometabolic health, especially in the environment of excess calories characteristic of the time. , according to the study.
Exercising in cold weather also helps improve the immune system and reduces the chance of catching a cold. Requiring more effort, physical training during the winter holidays causes a person to burn more calories than normal and regulates temperature. In addition, staying active improves mood and prevents seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which depresses people during this time of year, according to an article published at Aston University in England.
To encourage a willingness to exercise, holiday-themed stimuli may be useful, as suggested in research published in The British Medical Journal (BMJ). Of the 323 people who showed interest, 107 were included in a study, which achieved its recruitment goal in 19 days. However, 21% of participants were lost to follow-up. Those in the intervention group participated in a greater amount of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity compared to the comparison group, especially in the third week of the study, with a mean difference of 20 minutes more per week.
Moderate calorie intake between rest periods could be beneficial to avoid a rise in blood sugar. (Illustrative Image Infobae).
Additionally, there was a significant decrease in the time they spent sedentary, with more than 50 fewer minutes recorded per day. In terms of acceptance, 70% of participants in the intervention expressed that they liked it and 69% indicated that they had completed the daily activities. These results suggest that incorporating holiday themes into physical activity programs can increase individual and collective motivation to exercise more and lead less sedentary lifestyles.
Preventing weight gain promotes metabolic health during the winter holiday season and may depend on limiting calorie consumption, according to research published in the Journal of Nutritional Science (JNS).
This eating program involves a limited intake for two days a week, which has shown benefit in overweight participants. People who participated in the intervention for 52 days, during the time of year-end festivities, avoided the typical weight gain of the period and recorded an average loss of 1.3 kilograms. This result is consistent with previous research highlighting the benefits of various methods of intermittent calorie restriction.
One of the main recommendations to celebrate the end of the year in a healthy way is to cook dishes with recipes that are less saturated in fat. (Illustrative Image Infobae).
Additionally, participants experienced a significant decrease in fasting triglycerides (TAG) and an increase in HDL cholesterol levels, contributing to a healthier lipid profile, even though their levels were already considered normal at the start of the study. . In contrast, the control group that did not follow the restriction and maintained their usual diet during the year-end celebrations showed increases in fasting insulin levels, total cholesterol.
This increase indicates increased insulin resistance, a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The findings suggest that intermittent energy restriction for two days could have beneficial effects on key metabolic markers, even during festive periods where food intake is typically higher.
An additional measure to achieve these benefits is to consume time-restricted seasonal dishes (TRE). Although data derived from human research is still limited, experimental results in rodents have shown significant benefits in modifying eating patterns, suggesting a possible strategy to improve post-holiday health, according to a study published in the journal Nutrients.
ERT, which limits food intake to certain periods of the day, has been shown to be effective against obesity in both prevention and treatment, according to animal studies. Although human research also did not show significant superiority of ERT over traditional calorie restriction, there is evidence to suggest that the benefits may vary depending on the length of each individual’s usual eating period.
Limited alcohol consumption requires a healthy social environment. (Getty Images).
The study specialists advise consulting with doctors before modifying the diet, especially in people with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes. The central idea that “eating takes time,” derived from the principles of chronobiology, could translate into a more sustainable dietary approach that is easier to maintain in the long term.
In the end of the year celebrations, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the United States warns of an increase in alcohol consumption. This trend implies a greater risk of intoxication, accidents and wrong decisions, being more critical in people with a history of alcoholism or who face mental health disorders. There are notable gender disparities in holiday alcohol consumption, with men tending to consume excessively and women being more affected by lower alcohol tolerance, according to an article published in the American Psychiatric Association in the United States.
The institution recommends planning ahead, identifying and avoiding triggers, and focusing on alcohol-free options. Specialists also suggest staying in touch with support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and developing coping strategies for stress and anxiety.
Prioritizing self-care, identifying strong supports, and implementing healthy practices are key to maintaining sobriety during the holidays. Additionally, avoiding situations or people that encourage consumption can be a critical factor in preventing relapses. Those seeking to maintain their abstinence find in these tips tools to cope with the social pressure associated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages during this season.
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