Five Tips to Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays

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HolidayWeightGain It’s easy to fret about gaining back the weight you’ve spent significant time and effort losing with the holiday season fast approaching. Here are five tips to help you avoid putting on much weight, if any during your holiday celebrations.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#1 - Fill up on more sensible foods

Foods which are high in fiber or water will fill you up quicker and help you avoid overindulging on the “bad” foods. Try taking an extra spoonful of fruit or vegetables when you fix your plate, and by the time you finish there won’t be any room left for the other high calorie foods, which are more likely to cause you to gain weight.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#2 – Eat smaller portions

Of course everything on the table looks enticingly tasty, and it’s all you can do to keep from going back for seconds and thirds so you can sample everything. A very simple solution to keep this urge at bay is to take smaller portions of the dishes you are most interested in, especially those pound-packing desserts. Try to share a piece of pie or cake with your spouse, child, or another family member who may also be trying to watch their waistline.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#3 – Drink constantly- before, during and after meals

Drink plenty of water, or another unsweetened beverage, before each meal as well as during and in between meals. The liquid in your stomach will help trick your mind into not feeling as hungry, and that reduces the tendency to stuff yourself with potentially fattening foods.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#4 - Stay away from the snacks

If you choose to sit within an arm’s reach of the snack table, you will most likely have a tough time keeping yourself from unconsciously grabbing handfuls of party mix, chips, cookies, candies, and the like, and snacking on them all day. By positioning yourself on the other side of the room, getting the snacks involves a very conscious effort in getting up, and walking over to get the snacks, thereby reducing your tendency to mindlessly consume countless calories.

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays Tip#5 – Take an exercise break

If the weather is nice enough, go outside for a quick walk around the house or around the block. If you’re in a colder climate, you’ll be more inspired to quicken your pace and burn a few extra calories in the process. If the weather is too bad, do 10-20 squats, stretches, or other brief exercise each time you use the restroom. You will want to do just enough to increase your heart rate, but not so much that you break into a sweat. That way, no one else will know what you are doing so you won’t feel self-conscious about trying to maintain your figure and prevent weight gain.

If you still manage to put on a few extra pounds, don’t sweat it. It is likely that any weight you do gain will come off shortly after the holidays are over if you have been following a sensible diet and exercise plan. So, don’t stress, and enjoy the time you get to spend with those you love.

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