How to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

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By A. Suzanne Wells
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Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

Thanksgiving through New Years can bring on unwanted pounds due to parties, social gatherings, excess traditional holiday foods, and special treats. Learn how to avoid gaining weight during this time of year, so you won’t have to worry about a diet in January.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Avoid having a party at your own home. Parties mean shopping for food, preparing food, and left-over food. The less you are around excessive food, the better. Leave the parties to someone else.
Step 2

Resist the temptation to bake. We often bake fattening goodies for our friends and relatives, knowing that we will overindulge while we are baking them, and later on. Again, take food out of the equation. If you feel the urge to create, try making ornaments, a wreath, or other holiday decorations using non-food items.
Step 3

Share holiday food gifts you receive. If you receive a gift of cookies, pie, cake, candy, or fudge, donate them to your local fire department, police station, public library, hair salon, or the front office of your children's school. You don't have to eat it just because someone gave it to you. Pass it on to someone else who will enjoy it and appreciate the thought - and you won't be stuck with the calories.
Step 4

Plan ahead what you will eat at a party. Make your battle plan in advance. Stick to the raw veggies, fresh fruit, low fat meats, and allow yourself only one dessert or treat. You can still eat, just make smart choices.
Step 5

Keep a low calorie drink in your hand at parties and social events. Choose sparkling water, diet soda, unsweetened tea, or coffee. Having a drink in your hand will keep your hands busy and you won’t feel the need to reach for food.
Step 6

Be careful with beverages. Holiday beverages like eggnog, hot chocolate, and especially alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories. You can guzzle down 1,000 calories without even realizing it. Stick to water, diet soda, or black coffee.
Step 7

Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and keep your system moving. Many times, we misintrepret thirst as hunger. Stay hydrated with good old fashioned water and you can curb the urge to snack or overeat.
Step 8

Watch the sauces, dips, spreads, dressings, and gravies. Recipes made with sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and other high calorie ingredients can add hundreds of calories to a meal. Use only in moderation or avoid them completely.
Step 9

Stay active and move! The holiday season is not an excuse to deviate from your regular exercise program, in fact, it is just the opposite. Fill up your iPod with fun holiday music and hit the gym, the track, or whatever you normally do. Your normal workouts will keep you in shape, keep those endorphins flowing, and keep you feeling good and able to cope with holiday stress.
Step 10

Incorporate exercise into family visits and social gatherings. If you are visiting relatives, plan walks around the neighborhood while you talk or visit. Get outside while the kids ride their bikes. Go to the park and walk, play basketball, play volleyball, or ride bikes. Instead of planning an all day eat-a-thon, plan to go ice skating, canoeing, hiking, or play touch football. Focus on burning calories instead of consuming them.
Step 11

Start a new tradition. If your extended family traditionally sits in front of the TV and gorges on holiday treats when you get together, take the initiative to start something new. Play a Christmas basketball game, Thanksgiving Day 5 mile walk, or New Year's Day hike. Start a healty, fresh, new tradition that benefits everyone.

Comments

labellefleur100 said

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on 1/26/2009 Again this comes down to portion size and being reasonable with beverages. So many people have no idea how much calories they are intaking in just alcohol! Great advice! 5* RECMD