It’s the holiday season again, and with that comes delicious buffets of food and drink you don’t normally indulge in throughout the rest of the year!
It’s easy to get carried away enjoying the scrumptious treats, but if you don’t want to add the “festive fifteen” pounds to your body, here are five ways to avoid the usual holiday weight gain:
Fill ‘er up in advance
Parties are a prime place to lose track of how many calories you’re stuffing in your mouth, and this is the party season. Alcohol kills your willpower and makes you forget how many yummy canapés you’ve already consumed while chatting and laughing, so the best approach is to eat a healthy meal before parties or drink lots of water so you feel more full and don’t overdo snacking on rich treats.
Exercise more often
If you already have a regular exercise routine, it will be easier to simply add a few more workouts or physical family activities to your schedule to balance out all those delectable meals and appetizers that you’re also adding. If you’re not someone who exercises normally, it’s a great time to start with little ways of additional movement, like parking in that spot that’s miles away from the mall instead of circling for ten minutes waiting for a closer one, or walking to the post office to mail holiday cards or packages instead of driving. Increasing your usual physical activity level is good for you and your waistline.
Indulge — a little bit
You don’t have to be superhuman and completely avoid every mouth-watering food the season has to offer. Give in to temptation, in moderation. Try a little bit of that dessert, but keep your portions small. Use the three-bite rule for really sweet or fatty foods, so you can savour just a taste to satisfy your cravings, but not eat the entire platter. Use the smallest size plate available, as this actually helps you take smaller portions of what’s on offer.
Make good choices
Not just in life, but in your holiday snacking too! Protein and vegetable treats are best for you, especially if they aren’t also loaded with fat and carbs. Fill up on these types of food choices and in fact, bring them as your potluck contribution so you know there will be at least one healthy option at the party. Drink diet soda or soda water as mix with alcohol instead of imbibing in beer, wine or sugary cocktails, but still drink in moderation to keep your willpower strong.
Weigh yourself often
While many experts feel frequent stops at the bathroom scale are not good for you, doing it temporarily during the holidays may be the best and most blunt way of staying focused on avoiding holiday weight gain. Ensuring your enjoyment of the season doesn’t have to also include unhealthy weight gain that will only require extra effort to lose in the new year.