3 Ways to Prevent the Annual Holiday Weight Gain

Sugar DazeTis the season to be jolly, to enjoy holiday feasts, and fret about weight gain.

Now that we have “officially” kicked off the holidays with our Thanksgiving celebration, it’s time to plan our strategy for getting through the next 5 and half weeks without gaining 10 pounds.

First, relax and don’t stress. Stress and the comfort food we seek for solace add more weight than the occasional indulgence at the office holiday party. Leave some time to enjoy the season and don’t over schedule yourself to the point that you’re exhausted at the end of each day.

Second, make smart drink choices. You know you are going to have that cocktail or glass of wine, so bank some calories by making better choices throughout the day. Water is best, always! The biggest mistake I see is a day of calorie burning shopping at the mall completely wiped out with a 500 calorie, whipped cream laden, holiday coffee drink. Pack that bottle of water in your bag, and if you really need a pick me up, have a cup of regular coffee. Black is best, but if you add reasonable amounts of milk and sugar it only adds 50-60 calories.

Finally, when you attend those high calorie feasts we call holiday parties, make smart food choices. The veggie tray, nuts, cold boiled shrimp and anything whole grain will fill you up and provide serious satiety. Stay away from anything in a puffed pastry or that is covered in cheese. And don’t be fooled by those inviting, tiny little meatballs. They’re 100 calorie depth charges, ready to destroy all of your hard work.

For other great ideas and reading about health and food check out  "You Can't Outsource Weight Loss"

or visit http://www.youcantoutsourceweightloss.com/

Comments

[Nick Carraway]

Good tips. At holiday parties (and any eating out experience for that matter) it's so tough to know exactly how many calories you're eating because nothing has labels and many times the desserts are homemade. One thing I do is try to stick to filling foods like you suggested such as proteins or foods high in fiber. The other thing I do is to eat at home before I go to event where there will be tempting food choices. I know this seems like a waste of your own groceries when someone else is feeding you, but I'd rather be full at the Christmas party, then super hungry and ready to eat with reckless abandon. Good, timely post.

[Patrick Edmonds]

I agree with all the tips. Now in my 30s I am starting to see the effects of holiday feasting. I read the other day that the average American gains 2-3 lbs. over the holidays that they never lose.

My problem is less the food and more the alcohol. For Thanksgiving, I start drinking on Wednesday, and it seems like there's a party every night after that. That combined with the food is a sad recipe of extra flab.

Thanks for the post and advice!

[Barb Hoyer @ A Life in Balance]

Good tips, though cheese is a good snack to eat since it's high in protein. I think lots of people don't drink enough water during the day, and make the mistake of thinking they're hungry when they're actually dehydrated.

[Forklift training Toronto]

Stress is the state of increased arousal necessary for a human to defend themselves at a time of danger. Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. You must forget soft drinks, soda and alcohol. It taste really good but the only need of your body is water. , Cut out unhealthy treats – such as confectionary, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals. Thanks a lot for sharing such an interesting post.