Tips to Not Gain Weight This Holiday

It’s the holidays, I’m just enjoying them… Has that thought ever come to mind as the end of Nov/beginning of Dec comes around? The average person gains 2-3 pounds during the holiday season. “2-3 pounds? No big deal! I can lose that in January.” The problem is that January comes and goes and the next thing you know, it’s summertime, and the weight has not come off. To avoid this holiday

weight gain, here are few tips to help you.

Eat a Christmas cookie. Depriving yourself of something you enjoy can make you go off the deep end and binge eat Christmas cookies the next time that plate is in front of you. Eating one cookie is not going to make you gain 5 pounds. But make sure you stick with one.

Have a drink - but limit yourself to one, whether it’s eggnog, wine, or beer. If you don’t want co-workers commenting to you at a holiday party on why you aren’t drinking, get one drink and sip it throughout the evening.

Make sure you exercise. The holidays can be a stressful experience. Don’t take your stress out by overeating - exercise can be a great stress management. Go for a power walk, run, bike ride, do yoga, strength train, or even a workout dvd. You can also check out my YouTube channel and do one of my workouts (https://youtube.com/results?q=trained%20by%20stef&sm=3)

Practice portion control. The holidays are a time where you go to parties that offer a TON of food. Don’t go crazy. Load your plate with non starchy veggies (salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts) and things high in protein, leaving minimal room for the mashed potatoes or rolls.

Eat before you go to a party. If you eat a healthy meal or snack high in protein before heading out to a party, then you might not be tempted to gorge on high calorie foods and desserts because you will already be full.

Avoid those holiday drinks at your local coffee shop. The gingerbread or peppermint mocha lattes are loaded in sugar and calories - even if you get them “skinny”. They still have artificial flavors in them. It’s better to either make your own versions of them or drink regular coffee or tea.

And remember, it’s okay to not be losing any weight during the holidays. Just maintaining is a success!