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Tuesday 17 December 2019

Weight gain and holidays


By Pete Ryan 


On average we gain weight over the holidays[i]. Unfortunately, for many that weight gain is cumulative and permanent[ii]. Many people believe we add around 5-10 pounds over the holidays, but in fact we only add between a pound or two a year (0.5-1Kg approx.) during the holiday season. The bad news is we do not tend to lose that weight and it accumulates each year[iii]. Even those who are keen about weight loss (buying equipment and tools to monitor and aid in fat control), take an average of 5 months to lose the fat gained over the holidays[iv], so how will the average person hope to ever lose the weight accrued by holiday laxity?



There are counters to these fat gains, as we know, prevention is better than trying to correct a problem once you have it. One method that seems successful is to weigh yourself daily over the holiday season[v] [vi]. By weighing you can counteract any gains before they become serious. Another option is to consider adding in lower calorie meals between those high calorie feasts. Salad, steamed vegetables and snacks of fruit can all lower the daily calorific intake if you find yourself starting to add on a little fat. Consider portion control at the more indulgent meals, smaller portions can really lead to smaller waistlines[vii]. Lastly increase physical activity, this does not have to mean more hours in the gym[viii]. Go for a hike in the woods or stroll along a beach, cycle or indulge in any activity that burns calories and is enjoyable to you. If this means the gym, then by all means include more sessions, add in some form of cardio and resistance work into your workouts, also compressing more activity into every session, you can use supersets, or complexes to increase exercise density (so more work, or tonnage lifted, per hour).



So, let’s look at practical examples you can use. Let’s say you burn 300Kcal per session, and let’s also say the average person puts on 1-2 pounds over the Xmas period. Although we have a lot of variables, let’s look at basic energy in/energy out. A pound of fat is about 3,500Kcal, so you would need around 12-24 exercise sessions to burn off that many calories. So, I would start at the beginning of December, before the time you indulge and include 3-4 sessions a week. As an example 1 hour of hiking is approximately 370Kcal per hour, an hour of weight training 266Kcal. Obviously intensity and bodyweight can affect these numbers.



Below I have included a list of activities and the calories burnt (taken from Harvard heart letter). These are obviously estimates, but they can give you some idea of the exertion needed to do each form of activity, but generally whatever the activity, the more strenuous it is, the more calories are burnt per hour. So, allow yourself to enjoy the coming holiday season, but be aware of the actions you need to be taking to avoid unwanted fat gain.
All info gathered from Harvard medical school[ix]


Calories burned in 30-minute activities
Gym Activities
125-pound person
155-pound person
185-pound person
Weight Lifting: general
90
112
133
Aerobics: water
120
149
178
Stretching, Hatha Yoga
120
149
178
Calisthenics: moderate
135
167
200
Riders: general
150
186
222
Aerobics: low impact
165
205
244
Stair Step Machine: general
180
223
266
Teaching aerobics
180
223
266
Weight Lifting: vigorous
180
223
266
Aerobics, Step: low impact
210
260
311
Aerobics: high impact
210
260
311
Bicycling, Stationary: moderate
210
260
311
Rowing, Stationary: moderate
210
260
311
Calisthenics: vigorous
240
298
355
Circuit Training: general
240
298
355
Rowing, Stationary: vigorous
255
316
377
Elliptical Trainer: general
270
335
400
Ski Machine: general
285
353
422
Aerobics, Step: high impact
300
372
444
Bicycling, Stationary: vigorous
315
391
466




Training and Sport Activities



Billiards
75
93
111
Bowling
90
112
133
Dancing: slow, waltz, foxtrot
90
112
133
Frisbee
90
112
133
Volleyball: non-competitive, general play
90
112
133
Water Volleyball
90
112
133
Archery: non-hunting
105
130
155
Golf: using cart
105
130
155
Hang Gliding
105
130
155
Curling
120
149
178
Gymnastics: general
120
149
178
Horseback Riding: general
120
149
178
Tai Chi
120
149
178
Volleyball: competitive, gymnasium play
120
149
178
Walking: 3.5 mph (17 min/mi)
120
149
178
Badminton: general
135
167
200
Walking: 4 mph (15 min/mi)
135
167
200
Kayaking
150
186
222
Skateboarding
150
186
222
Snorkeling
150
186
222
Softball: general play
150
186
222
Walking: 4.5 mph (13 min/mi)
150
186
222
Whitewater: rafting, kayaking
150
186
222
Dancing: disco, ballroom, square
165
205
244
Golf: carrying clubs
165
205
244
Dancing: Fast, ballet, twist
180
223
266
Fencing
180
223
266
Hiking: cross-country
180
223
266
Skiing: downhill
180
223
266
Swimming: general
180
223
266
Walk/Jog: jog <10 min.="" span="">
180
223
266
Water Skiing
180
223
266
Wrestling
180
223
266
Basketball: wheelchair
195
242
289
Race Walking
195
242
289
Ice Skating: general
210
260
311
Racquetball: casual, general
210
260
311
Rollerblade Skating
210
260
311
Scuba or skin diving
210
260
311
Sledding, luge, toboggan
210
260
311
Soccer: general
210
260
311
Tennis: general
210
260
311
Basketball: playing a game
240
298
355
Bicycling: 12-13.9 mph
240
298
355
Football: touch, flag, general
240
298
355
Hockey: field & ice
240
298
355
Rock Climbing: rappelling
240
298
355
Running: 5 mph (12 min/mile)
240
298
355
Running: pushing wheelchair, marathon wheeling
240
298
355
Skiing: cross-country
240
298
355
Snow Shoeing
240
298
355
Swimming: backstroke
240
298
355
Volleyball: beach
240
298
355
Bicycling: BMX or mountain
255
316
377
Boxing: sparring
270
335
400
Football: competitive
270
335
400
Orienteering
270
335
400
Running: 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile)
270
335
400
Running: cross-country
270
335
400
Bicycling: 14-15.9 mph
300
372
444
Martial Arts: judo, karate, kickbox
300
372
444
Racquetball: competitive
300
372
444
Rope Jumping
300
372
444
Running: 6 mph (10 min/mile)
300
372
444
Swimming: breaststroke
300
372
444
Swimming: laps, vigorous
300
372
444
Swimming: treading, vigorous
300
372
444
Water Polo
300
372
444
Rock Climbing: ascending
330
409
488
Running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile)
330
409
488
Swimming: butterfly
330
409
488
Swimming: crawl
330
409
488
Bicycling: 16-19 mph
360
446
533
Handball: general
360
446
533
Running: 7.5 mph (8 min/mile)
375
465
555
Running: 8.6 mph (7 min/mile)
435
539
644
Bicycling: > 20 mph
495
614
733
Running: 10 mph (6 min/mile)
495
614
733




Outdoor Activities



Planting seedlings, shrubs
120
149
178
Raking Lawn
120
149
178
Sacking grass or leaves
120
149
178
Gardening: general
135
167
200
Mowing Lawn: push, power
135
167
200
Operate Snow Blower: walking
135
167
200
Plant trees
135
167
200
Gardening: weeding
139
172
205
Carrying & stacking wood
150
186
222
Digging, spading dirt
150
186
222
Laying sod / crushed rock
150
186
222
Mowing Lawn: push, hand
165
205
244
Chopping & splitting wood
180
223
266
Shoveling Snow: by hand
180
223
266




Home & Daily Life Activities



Sleeping
19
23
28
Watching TV
23
28
33
Reading: sitting
34
42
50
Standing in line
38
47
56
Cooking
75
93
111
Child-care: bathing, feeding, etc.
105
130
155
Food Shopping: with cart
105
130
155
Moving: unpacking
105
130
155
Playing w/kids: moderate effort
120
149
178
Heavy Cleaning: wash car, windows
135
167
200
Child games: hop-scotch, jacks, etc.
150
186
222
Playing w/kids: vigorous effort
150
186
222
Moving: household furniture
180
223
266
Moving: carrying boxes
210
260
311




Home Repair



Auto Repair
90
112
133
Wiring and Plumbing
90
112
133
Carpentry: refinish furniture
135
167
200
Lay or remove carpet/tile
135
167
200
Paint, paper, remodel: inside
135
167
200
Cleaning rain gutters
150
186
222
Hanging storm windows
150
186
222
Paint house: outside
150
186
222
Carpentry: outside
180
223
266
Roofing
180
223
266




Occupational Activities



Computer Work
41
51
61
Light Office Work
45
56
67
Sitting in Meetings
49
60
72
Desk Work
53
65
78
Sitting in Class
53
65
78
Truck Driving: sitting
60
74
89
Bartending/Server
75
93
111
Heavy Equip. Operator
75
93
111
Police Officer
75
93
111
Theater Work
90
112
133
Welding
90
112
133
Carpentry Work
105
130
155
Coaching Sports
120
149
178
Masseur, standing
120
149
178
Construction, general
165
205
244
Coal Mining
180
223
266
Horse Grooming
180
223
266
Masonry
210
260
311
Forestry, general
240
298
355
Heavy Tools, not power
240
298
355
Steel Mill: general
240
298
355
Firefighting
360
446
533
(This table was first printed in the July 2004 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter. For more information or to order, please go to http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart.)

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[i] Yanovski JA, et al. A prospective study of holiday weight gain. 2015 Feb 21 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4336296/

[ii] Holiday weight gain slight, but may last a lifetime. 2000 March 22 https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/holidayweightgain

[iii] Diaz-Zavala RG, et al. Effect of the holiday season on weight gain: A narrative review. 2017 Jul 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514330/

[iv] Wansink B, et al. Weight gain over the holidays in three countries. 2016 Sept 22 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1602012

[v] Frances M, et al. Effectiveness of a brief behavioural intervention to prevent weight gain over the Christmas holiday period: randomised controlled trial. 2018 Dec 10 https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4867

[vi] Kaviani S, et al. Daily self-weighing to prevent holiday-associated weight gain in adults. 2019 May 22 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/oby.22454