How to avoid holiday weight gain

Who doesn’t enjoy the holidays with all the good food to eat?  Along with that enjoying all that good food can come some unwanted pounds.  What can you do to enjoy the food but not add on the unwanted weight?  Between mid-November and mid-January, Americans gain about 1-2 pounds.  Not all that much except if one doesn’t lose those couple of pounds and they stick around until the next year’s holiday season.  Some experts think this holiday weight gain is responsible for adult weight creep.  Just a few added pounds a year ends up being many pounds over a decade.  Consumer Reports and others have a few recommendations to help avoid gaining weight over the holidays.  Try out what works for you, even try one of the tips each day.

Tip 1:  Know your holiday starting weight – weigh yourself first thing in the morning.  This is your weight goal to maintain over the holiday season.  Then each day or at least once a week, check in on the scale.  Have you gained weight or are you holding steady?  Interesting a 2017 study found that those who weighed themselves more often tended to lose the most weight.  

Weigh yourself every day or week

Tip 2:  Enjoy your holiday food – yes, enjoy every bite:  Don’t rush through your holiday treats and meals.  Take the time to enjoy them.  This may result in your eating more slowly and recognizing when you are full.  No need to stuff yourself, but do take the time to enjoy the holiday food.

Tip 3:  Eat before you shop – yes, fuel up for your shopping trips or running errands around town.  You will be less tempting go through a Fast Food drive-through for “just a bite” before you get home.  In the morning, take the time for a filling breakfast that includes some fiber – think whole grain cereal and some protein – think real milk or yogurt.  And add a little fat like nuts on your oatmeal.  The fiber, protein, fat combo will keep those hunger pains away while you shop or run those errands. 

Tip 4:  Take Food with You:  the airport food courts, mall food courts, snack machines at rest stops– may not have the healthiest options.  Pack some snacks when you travel.  On car trips we bring a lot of snack foods with us.  Fresh fruit, peanuts, whole grain crackers, cheese in a cooler.  Easy to grab some cheese and whole grain crackers and fruit for a healthy snack when at a rest stop.  Traveling on a plane?  I bring along healthy granola bars or fresh fruit. Choose food items that will make it through the TSA line.  If you go the Fast Food route, there are healthier options. Choose the egg or egg and cheese sandwich on a whole grain bagel.  You will get a high-quality protein (egg and cheese) and some fiber from the whole grain bread.  Choose some real orange juice for a quick pick up.  

Bring healthy snacks with you

Tip 5:  Plan some exercise and activities – don’t just focus on the food.  Families can enjoy going for walks, visiting some new trails, enjoying snow sports in the colder climates or a pick up basketball game in warmer climates.  Plan on going to some aerobic or other classes at the gym.  The leftovers may be calling to you, but remember to get out and exercise and keep exercise a part of your routine during the holidays.  

Exercise more than your funny bone (saturdayeveningpost.com)

And if you added a few pounds over a few days of celebration and eating, then focus the next few days on exercise and eating healthier.  Get the added pounds off before the next round of holiday parties and celebrations.  But enjoy the holiday food.  Who doesn’t love all the homemade goodies this time of year?  Just balance the goodies with some days of healthy eating and more exercise to burn off all those extra calories.

Sources: Consumer Reports, others  Image sources:  scale, Snacks, Exercise