Med-Vision offers steps to maintain weight during holidays

Health and wellness strategists at Med-Vision, LLC offer simple steps to avoid holiday weight gain during the whirlwind of to-dos and tasty temptations.

“The added stresses of this busy season can wear you out and cause a lack of control in managing health”

Weight loss during the holidays would demand extreme self-sacrificing and willpower, especially considering it's the season when the average person gains five to seven pounds. Weight maintenance, on the other hand, is a realistic goal.

"The added stresses of this busy season can wear you out and cause a lack of control in managing health," said Connie Gee, wellness strategist and vice president of Med-Vision, LLC, a healthcare data analytics and risk management strategy firm.

Gee offers five steps to maintain weight, reduce stress, and improve health now and throughout 2011:

1.) Eat a healthy breakfast every morning. Oatmeal, skim milk, and fruit make the best start to a busy day. These foods fill you up faster, keep you satisfied longer, and provide you with nutrients to maintain energy.

2.) Increase intake of fruits and vegetables. Take healthy, fiber-rich snacks on the run and load up on them at parties and buffets. Keep low calorie snacks, like cut cucumbers and celery, easily accessible in the refrigerator.

3.) Drink more water. Even the slightest de-hydration can slow a metabolism and cause sluggishness. The body needs eight to 10 glasses per day to flush toxins. Water with lemon or lime is a refreshing energy booster and natural appetite suppressor.

4.) Maintain physical activity. Shorter workouts are better than no workouts to fuel a metabolism, decrease appetite, and relieve stress. Get a pedometer and count steps. A typical day of holiday shopping can total 10,000 steps (five miles).

5.) Relax the mind and body. Close your eyes while sitting or lying down and breathe in slowly. Let the breath out for a count of five to ten seconds. Focus on the true meaning of the season.