PHAT for the New Year Published Jan. 7, 2011 By Janine Reinholtz 20th Force Support Squadron Health and Wellness Center SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C -- So, it's another new year. Time to plan how to make up for all the overindulgence during the holidays. It's quite possible that the average person will gain at least three pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's (you know who you are). Now that we recognize we may have eaten one too many fatty foods, tiptoed to too much sugar, and drank more than the normal share of eggnog: forget about it. Step on the scale, acknowledge your weight gain and consider that half to one pound per week is safe for weight loss. What was your weight prior to the holidays? How long will it take you to safely lose all of the weight you gained? Make that your "PHAT 2011" goal (not New Year's resolution). (PHAT: AKA "Pretty Hot And Tempting" for those who may have forgotten 1998 lingo or slang.) Here's how to accomplish your goal: - Keep a food log; write down what you eat, when, how much, and why you are eating. Are you even hungry? Keeping track of what you eat has been proven to be one of the best ways to lose weight. You are the only one that can be held accountable for your actions. -Consider an active lifestyle. Not everyone can run 10 miles every morning and work out every evening. Instead, park farther away from the office, take the stairs (barely anyone is on them so if you have to catch your breath when you get to the top, no one will be the wiser), walk for 10 minutes at lunch (if ten minutes is too long, take five). If you have young children play with them, use them as your personal gym and lift them. If you have older children, play tag or kick around soccer balls. Your health and wellness center is here to assist you with meeting your "PHAT 2011" goal. Here, you can sign-up for the Shaw Biggest Loser 2011 event. This is an eight- week lifestyle and weight management challenge designed for the Shaw community to encourage cardiovascular conditioning, promote healthy eating patterns and reduce high-risk health behaviors. If participating in a challenge isn't for you, or you would prefer one-on-one counseling, stop by or call the HAWC at 895-1216 and schedule an appointment with the nutrition staff or enroll in stress management, strength training and running 101 classes.