Millions of Americans are on one type of weight loss drug or another and a University of Cincinnati doctor says there are things to know before the holiday parties and dinners. Malti Vij with UC's College of Medicine says some suppress your appetite.
“You want to still make sure to eat at regular intervals, something with proteins, plant-based, high fiber,” she says. “Make sure you stick with two or three frequent meals so you’re not going to a party over-hungry. Then it’s going to be difficult to resist yourself.”
Dr. Vij says if you’re on a weight loss drug, it's important to know which, and how it works. She says some still require a bit of willpower on the patient's part.
“They help manage your cravings, like Contrave, which helps basically with craving for those sugary, savory things,” she says. “If you have a piece of cake in front of you, it doesn’t sound as good as it was sounding before you were on these molecules. You might have realized it makes it easy for you to say no to those things.”
Vij says listen to your body.
“Listen to what it wants. Does it want something savory, does it want something sugary? Then go for it! In moderation,” she says. “You want to still have that holiday feeling. Ultimately, this is more about overall health, emotional, physical, rather than just focusing on weight.”
Vij says a lot of the same rules apply for those not on weight loss drugs: stick with your routine, take small portions, avoid alcohol, and stay hydrated. She also says focus on the aspects of the holidays that aren't about food.
She says it's also important to not get discouraged if you do slip, or put on some weight. She says allow yourself to live a little.
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