Did you know that most Americans gain 1-2 pounds over the holiday season? The six-week stretch from Thanksgiving to the New Year is one of the most challenging times of the year to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With all of the parties, cookies, and special holiday treats, it’s easy to find yourself over-indulging and not quite fitting into your favorite jeans anymore. The biggest problem with holiday weight gain, however, is that most Americans don’t take off the extra pounds later. Add that up over the years and you’re looking at 10-15 pounds of extra weight, which can be very detrimental to your health. How can you avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season without giving up the merriment? We have some great tips for you.
1) Eat Before You Party:
Never go to a party on an empty stomach. If you’re attending a cocktail party, eat a health, balanced dinner beforehand and don’t scrimp on the protein. Eating protein helps to give you a long-lasting feeling of energy and fullness. If you’re attending a dinner party, eat some soup before you leave your house. It will keep you feeling full and reduce your portion sizes at dinner.
2) Watch Your Alcohol In-Take:
Alcohol can really sabotage your diet this time of year. When you are tipsy, you’re more likely to over-indulge in party snacks, so limit yourself to 1-2 drinks. Choose beverages such as light beer, wine, and champagne, which offer the lowest calorie count. Other good options are light juices, like sugar-free cranberry, mixed with seltzer and alcohol. Avoid creamy drinks, punches, and full-sugar juice mixes, which pack tons of calories per serving.
3) Ask to Bring a Dish
Holiday buffets are not usually packed with healthy options, which means you’re more likely to chow down on high fat foods. If you ask to bring a dish, you can have a bit more control over your options (and your hostess will love you). A tray of veggies with hummus or a tray of sliced fruit with yogurt dip are both great options. You can also prepare a low-cal version of a holiday favorite.
4) Get a Plate
It is almost impossible to keep track of how much you are eating if you stand at the buffet and pick at food. Take a plate. Before you fill it up, do a lap and see which treats you are most interested in having and which you can live without. Then, load your plate with 2/3 healthy food (like the snack you brought) and 1/3 not-so-healthy treats. Once you’ve filled your plate, move away from the buffet.
5) Don’t Bend to Peer Pressure
In social situations like holiday parties, it’s easy to get sucked into the mentality of “Everyone gains weight over the holidays, so it’s ok for me to over-indulge too.” Just because other people are falling off of their health routines, doesn’t mean that you have to as well. Keep in mind that the holidays are just like any other time of the year. Don’t deprive yourself of treats, but keep it within reason, just like you do when you attend parties at other times of the year.
Do you normally gain weight over the holidays? What tricks do you use to help keep yourself on track?
Comments (8)
i just need to avoid weight gain in general...
No.1 is a classic scenario. Also similar to not drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. Its just something you don't do!
No.5 Dont follow the leader. Especially if the leader is uglier and not
as attractive as you. They may just love watching your downfall. Any
how, stay mind strong when people start to say,
“Everyone gains weight over the holidays, so it’s ok for me to over-indulge too.”
http://www.stayfitbug.com
I exercise more to compensate.
I wish I did...Due to some health issues, I lost a lot of weight and now none of my favorite clothes look very good on me anymore. So I am hoping this holiday season that I will gain some of it back...
I think I do pretty well over the holidays. I tend to eat until I'm full and call it good (plus I work out before and after holiday parties/festivities lol).
I sometimes gain weight but I lose it instantly after the holiday season, and if I'm aware of the weight-gain I focus my thoughts and stay away from the gingerbread!
So glad I don't celebrate thanks giving!
I usually gain so much weight. I'm talking 5 pounds over the Thanksgiving holiday alone. This year is going to be different though. Before, I considered Thanksgiving to be the day I get to pig out and not feel guilty, but then I'd gain 2 pounds in one day, and then I would eat Thanksgiving leftovers and gain more weight. It just always put me off track for longer than I intended. This year, I'm just going to pretend like it's another day and I can't stuff my face. Portion control is the best way to go at Thanksgiving. It's difficult finding ANYTHING healthy, so just don't eat as much. My family and I are going to my grandparent's house for Thanksgiving and I think I'm going to eat some vegetables before I go over there. I know if you go somewhere, where there is a lot of food, it's not a good idea to be completely famished because then you'll just binge like a maniac. I used to have this mentality that I would save all of my allotted calories for Thanksgiving dinner so I wouldn't eat breakfast or lunch, BAD idea. I would eat so much at dinner, it was like I was eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in one meal. When I eat something small first and then go to a party, I end up eating less overall. So I just say eat something small before going to a party and portion control is key!
Weight is gainned through eating too much fat and sugar
Find out what food contain the most fat and sugar at
http://beautifullifesharing.blogspot.com/search/label/Getting%20fat.....