Do you want to maintain your weight and maybe even lose a few pounds during the holidays? It's not as impossible as you might think. Even though the holidays are known for an overabundance of food, gaining unwanted pounds can be avoided.
Before I figured out how not to gain holiday weight, the month of December was terrifying for me. I couldn't keep my hands off the sweets and would have to diet and exercise like mad in the new year. That kind of pain was not worth it, so I came up with a plan to dodge the extra bulk once and for all.
By following the quick tips below, you can curb the weight gain and fit easily into your clothes during the holidays.
Quick Tips to Avoid Gaining Weight During the Holidays:
- Eat smaller servings. Smaller food portions will decrease the number of calories you consume. If you take a spoonful of everything being served, you won't feel deprived, and you can keep yourself from eating too much.
- Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for the signals of fullness to travel from your gut to your brain. If you eat too quickly, you can pack in more calories than you need. Eating slowly also allows you to savor the tastes, smells and textures of your fabulous holiday meal.
- Avoid skipping meals. Fasting before big meals may trigger you to overeat. You may be so hungry by the time the major meal rolls around that you devour everything in sight. Instead, have a protein shake for breakfast and protein with veggies for lunch to maintain composure at the upcoming feast.
- Drink water. Water will fill you up and curb your appetite. A glass or two of water before chow time controls overindulging and cuts calories.
- Moderate sugar and alcohol. Calories add up fast when eating sweets and drinking alcohol. Every time you eat sugar, your blood glucose level rises, stimulating the release of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that signals your body to store fat. More sugar equals more fat.
- Daily physical activity will rev up your metabolism and help keep that weight off. Go for a 30-minute walk with a family member. Take the kids biking. Play golf or tennis. Put on some music and show off your moves. Do something you enjoy and have a good time.
- Avoid random snacking in-between meals. Grabbing some cookies, tasting the ham, and popping the homemade fudge will add up calories like crazy. Drink a glass or two of water, and go for a walk to control the urge to snack.
- Manage stress to eat less. No doubt, the holidays can be stressful. But turning to food for comfort can lead to eating too many high-calorie, sweet, fatty foods. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing are marvelous ways to manage stress. If that's not your thing, do an activity that takes you away from the holiday hullabaloo, like window shopping or watching a funny movie.
When you adopt even a few of the suggestions above, you will be on your way to successfully managing holiday weight gain. But if you get off track, don't feel guilty. Get back to paying attention to what you eat and listening to what your body needs.
Toni B. Snyder, PhD, is a nutrition coach and consultant who helps people battling with their health figure out why they are struggling to lose weight, endlessly fighting pain and illness, and are stressed to the max and have zero energy. If you have found this article informative and would like to learn about the life-sustaining powers of food, please visit Toni athttp://www.foxynutrition.com.
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