Avoiding Weight Gain over the Holidays

Statistics show that Americans gain an average of 5-10 LBS between Thanksgiving and New Years. I’d even be so bold as to assume most get a head start during Halloween while shopping for treats, then rummaging through their kids goody bags. Once you get a taste of those fun size Snickers bars, it’s all downhill from there. Research states that holiday weight gain may stick with you permanently if certain precautions aren’t taken.

Temptations are not without consequences.

What can be done to minimize the damage that these tempting holidays pose? Here are a few tips that I follow and recommend to my clients:

1) Don’t get started in the first place. I’m putting the spotlight on Halloween here, because this is where the trouble seems to begin. If you’re shopping for trick or treaters, don’t eat anything that you buy. Just leave it for the kids. If your little ones come home with treats, leave their stuff alone too. There’s nothing worse than coming home from school to find your candy bag half-eaten and your Mom on a sugar high. You know the old saying “You can never eat just one,” … nope you can’t. It’s a domino effect, and the end result is never a good one. Best not to even get started in the first place.

It all starts here.

2) Prepare yourself for the worst. Avoiding the urge to try just one delicious, homemade Christmas cookie is tough and probably unrealistic for most people. So if you know you’ll be attending parties over the holidays, don’t act surprised when all they serve is sugar, fat and alcohol. Prepare physically and mentally by eating a healthy meal before attending a gathering where you know there’s going to be unhealthy choices. Drink lots of water before and during the party to help curb your appetite as well. If you must eat, load up on high protein foods (turkey, fish, chicken, lean beef, cheese), as many veggies as you can stomach and some fresh fruit if at all possible. You may not be the most popular person there, but you definitely won’t be the one in the gym desperately trying to work off the guilt of 6 pieces of pie.

3) Intermittently Fast. This means if you do overindulge, you can deplete your glycogen stores and speed up fat loss by fasting the day after (up to 24 hours). This may prove to be very difficult for some people, and others may even think it’s extreme and/or controversial. All I know is that it works, studies back it up and the panic of going without food for 12-24 hours is good for us spoiled Americans every now and then. Practice self-discipline here and stay hydrated.

4) Prioritize Exercise! If you’re already in the workout groove, nothing should change over the holidays. Don’t use excuses like family and friends coming to visit as a reason to ignore your health. If you’re traveling, there are always ways to get in workouts whether you have to take them outside, to a gym, or even in your hotel room. 30-60 minute is all you need. If working out regularly isn’t a part of your daily routine, start small and gradually build up with cardio and strength training, 3-5 days per week. Regular workouts will help keep the LBS off, reduce stress, and keep your energy levels high.

5) Compose yourself. When everyone around you is using the holidays as a reason to overspend and overeat, you have the opportunity to do the opposite and put yourself in a Zen-like state. Don’t get sucked in to the hoopla and lose control of yourself. This time of year breeds credit card debt and weight gain but it doesn’t have to. We tend to emulate our peers, but sometimes our peers are not the best teachers. Pamper yourself in other ways. Get a massage (your health insurance may even cover this), or spa treatment, take a personal day off work to do your own thing and escape the holiday junk food in the office, meditate, get more sleep, keep up with your workouts, or book a vacation to make memories instead of over-consuming at home.

Escape the chaos and indulge in other ways.