Why ‘overindulging’ on holiday meals isn’t necessarily a big deal

It’s that time of year when people worry about their holiday season food intake.

But does feasting during your holiday meal make a big difference for your body? According to experts, not really.

“It really isn’t that big of a deal over the long term for most people,” says Rachelle Reed, senior director of health science and research for Orangetheory Fitness. “Research suggests that it’s the behaviors you sustain over time — so think weeks, months, years — that are going to have big impacts on your life and your health as opposed to focusing in on just one day or even one meal within a day.”

This is because an isolated event, like a big holiday meal, isn’t likely to disrupt our body’s composition, which does a good job at maintaining itself, says Evan Matthews, associate professor of exercise science and physical education at Montclair State University.

“We don’t gain fat quickly, and we don’t lose fat quickly.,” Matthews says. “The things that are going to most impact your body composition are going to be lifestyle. If you only over consume here or there at special events, it’s unlikely that it’s going to make dramatic impacts on your weight.”

In addition to worries around food, people also feel pressure to work out over the holidays to “burn off” or “make room” for their big meals.

But Reed says the idea of restricting calories or a transactional view of working out to “earn calories” or “earn the right to indulge” at a meal can be harmful.

“We want to think about habits over the long term,” she says. “And when you do have that restrictive mindset, research suggests that it’s going to be harder for you to sustain the healthy behaviors that we know most people are striving for, like eating a nutrient-dense diet and being physically active. So I think that sort of ‘permission to eat’ can be a slippery slope.”

One end of the slippery slope could be disordered eating.

For people who struggle with eating disorders, even the word ”overindulging” can be triggering since it puts a “moral value on the amount of food that’s being consumed,” says Chelsea M. Kronengold of the National Eating Disorders Association.

“Just the thought of food-focus holidays can be overwhelming and cause anxiety for people that are struggling with eating disorders,” she says. “Unfortunately, diet culture is rampant during Thanksgiving and other food-focused holidays.”

Kronengold says people should also break down the stigma surrounding weight gain in general, especially in our holiday conversations.

“We always talk about, like, ‘Don’t worry, you’re not going to gain weight,’” she says. “And that’s not necessarily helpful language, either. That perpetuates fatphobia and weight stigma. Everyone eats differently and consumes different amount of foods, so what may be considered overindulging to one person is not to another person. And so it’s really important to mind your own plate.”

Instead of putting so much focus on food during the holidays, Kronengold suggests shifting it elsewhere.

“There is more to the holiday than food,” she says.

Matthews suggests opting for year-long routine for your health.

“You’re better off starting starting low and progressing slow with exercise because it’s that long-term adherence that really matters,” he says.

Reed says it’s best to stay away from guilt-fueled fitness focused on calories.

“When people focus just on that transactional nature of the workout, they oftentimes are losing sight of those bigger life changing benefits that we know to be true from research [such as] lower rates for almost every type of chronic disease, improved mental health, better sleep, lower risk for certain types of cancers,” she says.

She also says it’s important to have a flexible mindset and that, while it’s great if you want to keep up your typical workouts during a holiday, “In the grand scheme of things, it’s one day,”

“Playing cornhole with family in the backyard, or going for an extra walk with your dog or even just running around the house cleaning and prepping for company, all of that movement counts,” she says, pointing to the health benefits of staying active. “It’s going to help you feel more energetic, maybe deal with any stress of the holidays, help you maintain your sleep schedule. It’s also going to be easier for you to do all of the fun things that come along with the holiday season.”

Read more at usatoday.com