Top 8 Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
It’s that much anticipated and also dreaded time of year again. You know it…the holiday season. We all get the warm and fuzzies when we think about all of the great year-end holidays…the parties, big dinners, friends, family…and 24-hour Christmas movies on Hallmark. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
But it also brings the thing we fear all year….holiday weight gain.
It starts off innocently enough with leftover halloween candy and pumpkin spice lattes but we soon find ourselves drowning in a sea of daily holiday-flavored tripple frapp whaps (Kevin Hart, anybody?), cookie exchanges, and office “food days” every Friday (I’m sorry…have I miscounted how many Thanksgivings we have???). And the next thing you know, we find ourselves spending all of January in big sweaters and stretch pants…not because it’s warm or fashionable, but because that’s all that fits.
Then we “resolve” to lose that holiday weight (on top of the weight we already wanted to lose), spend 3 months trying (and often failing) and then another 6 months feeling bad…just in time to repeat the cycle.
Now, I’ll address “resolutions” and healthy, effective weight loss another time. Because let’s be real – nobody’s thinking about LOSING weight during the holidays. Personally, I’m perfectly happy to just go into the new year without carrying anything new except a couple of Christmas gifts.
So Crystal, are you saying that we shouldn’t enjoy the holidays? Absolutely not! I want you to have every single treat that makes the holidays feel like the holidays…I certainly do. So how do you avoid the gain with all the goodies? Here are my favorite tips that have worked for me and my clients for years. I’m sure they will work for you to…as long as you put them into practice 😉
1 . MOVE MORE.
Yes, my first time really is one that I’m sure you’ve heard a couple hundred times before, but there’s a reason for that. I’m a firm believer that weight management is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise so typically I will focus on nutrition first. However, during the holidays we will inevitably consume more calories than usual so it’s very important to use that 20% to boost our chances. And if you groaned at the thought of another hour at the gym, I feel you. But you don’t have to limit your movement to aerobics or weight lifting. Get creative! Get friends together for a turkey bowl, go for a walk with the kids to find leaves, branches and acorns to make some fun fall-themed crafts, have a Christmas music dance party, walk a neighborhood to look at the lights instead of driving. The point is grab your loved ones and MOVE together.
2. ONLY TASTE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED.
I know…you need to make sure what you’re serving is good, right? You most certainly do. Just remember that to taste to check for flavor is far different than to have so many little bites that you’ve had an additional half serving by the time you’re done. Feel free to remember this one all year, but it’s especially important during the holidays when a lot of us are spending quite a bit more time in the kitchen and a lot of the thing we’re preparing aren’t exactly on our meal plans.
3. GET YOUR SLEEP.
As I type this, I’m coming off of a really late night because I was up making pies for my husband’s office Thanksgiving, so I get it. This is a busy time of year and we want to make sure we do everything for everyone to enjoy their holidays. But we can’t forget about ourselves in the process. Santa’s not going to skip your house because you took time for a little necessary self-care, with sleep being a the top of that list.
When we don’t get enough sleep our hormone levels can be disrupted, including those that control hunger and appetite. Sleep deprivation reduces leptin (the hormone that suppresses appetite) and increases ghrelin (the hormone that triggers hunger). Lack of sleep can also lead to more junk food cravings and reduced energy and desire to exercise.
4. BE MERRY.
Aside from the fact that the holidays should be a joyous time so stressing yourself into a ball of nerves kiiiinda defeats the purpose, but your stress could be packing on more weight than that extra helping of stuffing. Stress can increase levels of the hormone cortisol. Chronically high cortisol levels have been linked to greater food intake AND increased cravings for junk food. So do yourself a favor and have a holly, jolly Christmas.
5. TAKE A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE OF YOUR FAVORITE TREAT OR SIDE DISH TO YOUR GATHERINGS.
It’s perfectly ok to enjoy an indulgence or two, but with the number of gatherings many of us will attend in this 3-month period, this would be a good time to share some of your favorite, healthier side dishes and “better-for-you” desserts with your friends, family and coworkers. Don’t have any to share? Fortunately, we live in the age of Pinterest and there are tons of recipes out there. Simply use search terms like “healthy,” “healthier,” and “alternative” before the dish you’d like to make and you’ll be amazed at what comes up. Still stuck? Check out my Paleo Sweets and Paleo Thanksgiving boards for inspiration.
6. ONLY CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS.
Now here’s one tip that I cannot stress enough. It’s easy to get caught up in celebrating the entire season with food and drinks that don’t serve our bodies, but the simple fact is that the holidays are just that – days. Limit your treats to the moments that really matter and will leave lasting memories; don’t just pour another glass of nog every time you sit down to watch a Christmas movie.
7. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN.
If you know you have that office party or women’s fellowship cookie exchange, then plan the rest of your day accordingly. Planning to splurge on all of that free deliciousness at a party is perfectly ok in my book, but maybe have egg muffins and avocado for breakfast and a salad for lunch instead of a donut and a cheeseburger to balance out your nutrition profile.
8. FIND A BUDDY…OR 2…OR 20.
It has been my experience, both for myself and my clients, that accountability is the piece of the equation that is often ignored and it can be the piece that can make or break your results. It’s always nice to have somebody to share in our goals and call when we’re about to pick up a gingerbread man that we know we don’t need. So partner up with a spouse, sister, best friend…somebody. Make this year different so you can ring in the new year with your head held high and your jeans fully closed. And if you want even more support from myself and like-minded individuals, I’d love to have you in my 4th annual free Maintain Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge. If you’d like to join us for more tips, motivation, recipes and fun holiday-themed workouts, then just shoot me an e-mail at crystal@excellentlyimperfect.com with the subject “MDG 2018” and we’ll get you all set up.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
~Crystal
