The reality is that holiday foods are calorically dense. In other words, a small portion has a significant number of calories. To expect to burn off these extra calories through exercise is wishful thinking. Why? Because seasonal goodies have far more calories than is possible to burn off doing a realistic amount of exercise. What compounds the problem is that holiday indulgence occurs almost daily from Thanksgiving through the end of the year.

Because food is such a big part of our culture and environment, oftentimes we are unaware of what and how much we are eating. Our food saturated environment (potlucks, “drive through,” fast food, order-out pizza, food laden checkouts and donut-filled break rooms) make healthy eating a real challenge! Therefore, if we are trying to control and manage our food intake and body weight, we must pay deliberate attention to eating and the pleasure of food.

The next time you are standing in front of the refrigerator trying to figure out what you are craving, you might not really be hungry. Here's how to figure out if you are genuinely hungry or just trying to satisfy a craving.

When it comes to talking about your health and well-being, overlooking your mental health is a big mistake. Your mental health has a direct influence on your day to day mood, and anyone who has tried losing weight knows the huge impact that a positive mood and good attitude can have on your progress. During your medical weight loss program in Columbus, focusing on improving your mood and stabilizing your mental health can help you progress towards reaching your weight loss goal.

Being on vacation or during the holidays it’s important to manage your weight as your normal routine is disrupted and distractions are abundant.