The holidays seem to be all about eating too much, but you can avoid holiday weight gain if you plan everything. The most important tip? Stay active!
If you’re one of those people who’s always concerned about gaining weight, the coming holidays are probably a huge stress factor for you. But instead of starving yourself, how about making a plan that can help you avoid holiday weight gain?
After all, you only need to keep it together for a few days. No matter what others do or eat, you can still enjoy Christmas and New Year’s Eve without giving up entirely on your healthy eating plan.
What to do to avoid holiday weight gain
1. Plan ahead
If you have guests for the holidays, it’s easier for you to keep track of the food you buy and cook. So, plan and prepare some healthy dishes. Things are a little more complicated when you’re the guest in other people’s houses, but you still can find out what types of foods will be served. If you need to, bring your own food. Planning makes everything easier, even the challenge of spending these days without gaining extra pounds.
2. Watch your portion sizes
We usually eat more than we need. And with all those tempting foods, it’s easy to overdo it on your portion sizes. The best way to avoid holiday weight gain is to pay attention to your plate and eat less. You don’t have to weigh your food, just fill your plate with a reasonable amount of food.
3. Limit liquid calories
Maybe you can’t imagine Christmas without a glass of wine. And – God knows! – the wine has plenty of calories! A medium glass of wine has 125 calories, according to the USDA Database. So, don’t drink your calories! If you want wine, and you probably do, limit yourself to one glass a day.
The holidays are a time of year when alcohol, soda, and other sweetened beverages seem to be unlimited, but you shouldn’t drink soda either!
4. Choose desserts wisely
Eating dessert often leads to excessive sugar consumption, which grows your chances of gaining weight. In this case, you have two options if you want to avoid holiday weight gain. The first one is to choose healthy desserts, made with natural sweeteners. The second one is to focus on your favorites, instead of trying every dessert available in the house. To savor desserts, eat them slowly and mindfully so you can really taste and enjoy them.
5. Be active
Sitting on the couch watching TV shows can be tempting these days, especially if you’re visiting family. But the lack of activity leads to weight gain, especially if you also eat unhealthy snacks. If you usually have a healthy lifestyle, don’t make Christmas the most unhealthy and sedentary time of the year! Even if you don’t have access to the gym, you can still take a walk or go out for jogging.
