The holidays are a time of joy, a chance to reunite with friends and loved ones, and an opportunity to enjoy bountiful food choices often not available at any other time of the year. At the same time, end of the year festivities can be a time of less physical activity and overeating, which may lead to varying amounts of weight gain in some persons.

Umeko Terry, an adult nutrition educator with the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) of the Scotland County Cooperative Extension Service, cites three factors that can prevent weight increases over the holidays.

“Number one is portion control,” she said. “People tend to eat more that they ordinarily do over the holidays, so it is very important to maintain the amounts that one consumes. Number two is what they eat; more high calorie candies and sweets are substituted for healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, thus contributing to the problem. Less activity is third on the list. During holiday periods, people tend to move less and consume more. To counteract these trends, try to move around more during the day.”

Terry suggests that those concerned with holiday weight gain should add more vitamins A and C to their diets, use less sodium, and increase their intake of dietary fiber. They should also limit their caloric intake to 2,000 a day.

At Curves for Women fitness center in Laurinburg, Fitness Technician Darlene Locklear sees an increase in clients following the holidays.

“A lot of people come in after Jan. 1 after having made their New Year’s resolutions, with the intention of losing the weight they gained over Christmas,” she said. “Some are able to stick with it, and some are not.”

Locklear and the staff at Curves offer advice for weight loss similar to that advocated by Terry.

“We tell the customers to drink more water, to watch their portion sizes, to exercise more and to limit their intake of sweets.”

Jeff Jackson, an outpatient therapist with Community Innovations in Laurinburg, says that factors including job uncertainty and the state of the economy can compound the problem of excessive eating during the holidays.

“Eating is often used as a coping mechanism to relieve stress, and if a person is having financial or relationship problems, especially during the holidays, it can lead many to overindulge.”

Jackson encourages his clients to get plenty of exercise during the holidays, and to not let guilt about temporary weight gain add to their worries.

“We encourage them to just get back on their regimen after New Year’s, and to return to their regular diet once the holiday period is over.”

Clarence Everett of Laurinburg maintains a healthy weight by walking four miles a day. The holidays make it especially difficult to keep off the extra pounds, so Everett has made a New Year’s resolution involving his health.

“I try to walk every day, and eat healthy foods, but nevertheless it’s difficult to keep the added weight off during the holidays. For that reason, I made a resolution to try to shed more pounds, to stick to my workouts, and to join a gym.

“It’s hard,” Everett said, “but I’ve got to stick it out.”

Terry recommends the following formula for avoiding excessive weight gain during the holidays:

“Reduce calories, eat smart and move more,” she said. “If this is not followed, there is a great chance of weight increase” during the holidays and beyond.