Tips to avoid holiday weight gain

With December nearly upon us, it’s that time of year again.

It’s time for tasty sweet treats, holiday parties and family dinners. With sweet indulgences surrounding us during this next month, it is very easy to over-indulge and often gain weight during this merry month.

This leaves many of us searching for quick weight loss fixes in the new year. Quick weight loss fixes are not healthy for anyone, you can, indulge during this merry month and not spend your January depriving and starving your body unhealthily. It is much better to live healthfully year round, then to over indulge and feel the need to crash diet.

Here are some tips to help keep your body healthy and lean this holiday season

Before going to a party, eat a healthy snack or light meal first, this will fill you up and help you to avoid all of those very tempting sweet indulgences.
While at a party or get-together opt for healthier snacks such as vegetables and dip, fruits, cheeses and crackers.
Avoid over indulging in alcoholic drinks, they contain many calories and can easily put you well above your daily goals for caloric needs, opt for water, flavored water, tea or coffee instead.
When attending a holiday meal, try to eat in a balanced way, your plate should be mostly full of vegetables, and then contain a modest amount of starches (potato, rice, etc) and meat, if you so choose.
If your meal includes soup or salad, you can fill up on the soup or salad first, to help avoid over indulging, when it comes to the main course. Soups and salads often contain much fewer calories than main courses. Just make sure it isn’t a cream based soup and don’t use a ton of salad dressing.
Don’t deprive yourself of the sweet treats that you love to enjoy with friends and family this time of year, just opt for smaller servings.
Remember that the focus of the holiday season should be about sharing and spending time with the people that you love to be around and not about food!
If you do feel as if you have over indulged in too much food, exercise is great for helping to burn off excess calories. You don’t have to go to a gym to exercise effectively. You can go for a brisk walk, go for a jog, take the dog for a walk.
Avoid stress, stress can cause weight gain, without you having to over indulge! Be aware of common holiday stressors, like feeling the need to make everyone else happy, feeling stressed about shopping and gift giving, feeling stressed about trying to schedule to make it to everyones dinner or party. Try to allow yourself a few minutes to breathe, relax, sit, meditate, have a cup of tea or coffee, read, do anything that makes you feel relaxed.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself this holiday season, don’t spend the next month worrying about gaining a few pounds. Enjoy your family, your friends and your loved ones.

I hope that these tips help guide you through the holidays and that you allow yourself to indulge in some of the sweet things that you love, keeping in mind that “a little goes a long way”.

If you do happen to over indulge this holiday season and need some help getting back on track, I can help. I am a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and can help you by providing nutrition counselling.