Seasonal holidays may encourage overeating, spending to much time indoors, and consuming too many calorie-rich foods. If you are smart, you can still enjoy yourself without typical holiday weight gain that most people experience.
Tips to help you combat holiday weight gain:
Be active with family and friends:
Walking outside, or doing some physical activity with your family may prove beneficial for weight control. You can also keep yourself fit by taking part in a workplace or community fitness event.
Snack wisely:
Trying to be mindful while snacking is all you need. It's better to opt for real foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds instead of munching snacks.
Watch your portion sizes:
Fill your plate with a reasonable amount of food because eating more substantial portions tend to gain weight more quickly than those who don't.
Practice mindful eating:
Studies show that those who engage in mindful eating practices are less likely to gain weight. Slow down, enjoy, and chew up your food. Being the moment will lower the probability of you overeating.
Get plenty of sleep:
Sleep deprivation increases your hunger hormone levels, ultimately leading to higher calorie intake, which can cause weight gain. So, plenty of sleep is a good practice and will help you stay lean and healthy. CLICK HERE FOR HELP WITH SLEEP
Control your stress levels:
Stressed individuals have high levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. It may cause weight gain because of higher food intake. So, it's essential to keep stress levels under control in general. Doing a daily meditation or going for a short walk outside is excellent for managing stress. CLICK HERE FOR HELP WITH STRESS
Eat a protein at every meal:
Holiday meals are rich in carbs but low in protein. It's essential to include at least one fist full of protein (chicken, fish, or steak). It promotes fullness, increases metabolism and levels of appetite-reducing hormones, which may be useful for weight maintenance.
Focus on fiber:
Do your best to eat fiber such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds that can reduce total calorie intake, which may help prevent weight gain over the holidays. As holiday foods lack adequate amounts of fiber.
Bring a healthy dish to share:
A simple trick is to bring a healthy dish to share. In this way, you can guarantee you'll have something to eat that aligns with your weight goals so that you have control over what you consume.
Limit your dessert intake:
During the holiday season, dessert is everywhere, which often leads to excessive sugar consumption. Take your time to eat slowly, which may leave you feeling more satisfied and less likely to overdo it, focus on your favorites, and ditch the rest.
Limit liquid calories:
Alcohol, soda, and other calorie-rich beverages consumption are linked to increased appetite. It is a risk factor for weight gain. If you're trying to control your weight, you should limit your intake of empty-calorie beverages.
Use a smaller plate:
During the holiday season, dinner parties and potlucks are frequent. People tend to consume more substantial portions from big plates, which may lead to overeating. So to avoid weight gain, a smaller plate is an easy way to control portions.
Have an accountability partner:
It is beneficial if you set your weight goals with a health buddy who has similar weight goals like you. It can keep motivate and accountable you over the holidays.
Avoid processed foods:
Processed food like boxed mashed potatoes and stuffing contain empty calories. Instead of processed food, opt for real food, and cook your meals from scratch. You can easily monitor your diet and stay on top of your weight.
Plan ahead:
Planning can also be helpful during the holidays. So, deciding what and how much you'll eat ahead of time can go a long way towards preventing weight gain. Eat before you go to an event, going to a party hungry is a recipe for disaster.
Skip seconds:
Sometimes, holiday meals are served buffet style with unlimited options. Having so many options can affect health as the calories from multiple helpings can quickly contribute to weight gain.
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