Despite all the good intentions, few people manage not to gain weight over the festive and holiday season. Staying in shape is, however, not that difficult to maintain.

Holiday weight gain

Despite the popular belief that weight gain is inevitable during the holiday season; following a few simple preventative strategies may just turn this concept on its head. Preventing holiday weight gain is simple – face the fact that you will be tempted to relax and over-indulge and then resist both.

Easy steps and strategies to stay in shape

Face it, weight starts piling up when your intake of kilojoules through drinking and eating exceeds the amount of kilojoules that you burn through exercise and daily activities. Control both and you may even lose some weight over the festive season.

Take the following easy steps:

  1. Step on the scale, twice a week, first thing in the morning when your stomach is empty, to make sure you stay on track.
  2. Stick to a balanced diet and choose the healthy alternative whenever possible. A healthy and balanced eating plan should consist of a low-kilojoule diet with more plant-based foods and plenty of water.
  3. Start the day with a healthy, filling breakfast.
  4. Exercise in the morning even if it just entails taking a short, brisk walk. Researchers found that when women worked out in the morning they not only moved more the rest of the day but they also had fewer cravings for high-fat food. Try to include the rest of the family in other exercise-based holiday activities such as running, walking, cycling, swimming or rock climbing.
  5. Stock up on healthy snacks such as nuts, vegetables and fruit and keep them close at hand.
  6. Don’t starve yourself in anticipation of a big meal later. Fill up with a healthy snack or drink a glass of water before heading out, to avoid over-eating. If it’s at a restaurant, order a starter such as a salad, soup or fish. Buffets are real temptations so check out what’s on show and decide on two or three choices instead of just lumping everything in sight onto your plate.
  7. Do eat dessert but in moderation. Follow the Zuckerbrot three-bite rule to keep your sweet tooth in check. The rule says: “You’ll get that amazing first taste, a satisfying middle one and then a lingering third bite” (the third should be your last bite).
  8. If you overindulge, don’t knock yourself down and try to starve yourself the next day. Drink lots of water and follow your normal healthy eating plan but try to fit in an extra exercise session.
  9. Drink wisely and go for the healthier options with fewer kilojoules. Red wine, club soda with lemon or lime and green tea are good choices. Avoid bubbly beverages that cause bloat.
  10. Relax and get enough but not too much sleep. Sleep deprivation combined with stress, inactivity and an unhealthy diet can contribute to weight gain.

Enjoy the holiday and festive season!

 

Sources

 

Bass, N. Heart-healthy holiday tips to reduce stress. Retrieved from: https://www.goredforwomen.org
Shaffer, A. 15 Ways to avoid holiday weight gain. Retrieved from: http://www.health.com/
Williams, L. 20 Tips to avoid holiday weight gain – beat the statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.moneycrashers.com/