food: pack it on, it’s Christmas!

Spotted on the front cover of this morning’s Express. Talk about a no-brainer headline, hm? Researchers predict more people will ditch diets for the holidays:

Holidays are often associated with parties, goodies and the inevitable weight gain. Studies show Americans gain about a pound during the winter holiday season, and for many of them, the pound never comes off.

But with many Americans stressing about their personal finances and the down economy, researchers predict more holiday bingeing than usual this year. And, they warn, that’s going to catch up with them in the new year, even if they do try to get back on a healthy plan.

In recent years I’ve been paying more attention to my advancing age/slowing metabolism & geek-inspired growing waistline and belly, so I cut back. Not really restricting myself from taking part in holiday-related food events, but not indulging either. If I’m good with portions and a bit of exercise, I can actually lose weight over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m thinking there will be more running around the yard and neighborhood with the family german shepherd this year.

In all honesty, I would have thought that the recent economic landscape would have led to more drinking this holiday season and not necessarily eating. But I suppose more places in DC frown upon booze at the holiday parties, those held in the office at any rate. Still, this is about as common sense a headline as the recent findings that a not-insignificant percentage of both men and women would rather give up sex for two weeks than their internet access. I would tend to think this doesn’t necessarily include the means by which people can find/watch sex on the internet, but who’s to say? 😈