How to Avoid Gaining Weight this Holiday

With non-stop parties, family dinners and seasonal treats, the holidays can be a tiring time to stay on a relatively healthy track with its share of challenges. However, sticking to your weight loss and exercise goals doesn't have to be challenging. To kick off the festive season right, here are some expert-approved nutrition and fitness hacks to follow.

Involve the family in your exercise routine

The holidays are a great time to spend with the family, so try to involve them in your fitness routines and activities.

Pre-game wisely

Don't arrive hungry to prevent overeating at parties and holiday meals. Make sure to nosh on a normal, nutritious breakfast and lunch, then snag a small snack before the soiree. Have a high-protein or high-fiber snack about an hour before you go to the party. Examples may be a cup of low-fat cottage cheese, air-popped popcorn, Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, veggies with hummus or your favorite plant based protein shake.

Stay hydrated

Hydration is very critical during the holidays to help keep hunger at bay. If you are not a fan of plain water try adding a fresh fruit to sweeten it up naturally or try drinking sparkling water to get that refreshing fizz.

Remember that every bite counts
A bite of brie here and a forkful of fruit cake there can add up—fast. We tend to not ‘count’ these mini snacks and appetizers.  It’s easy to rationalize when we don’t truly realize the quantity.

So plate it up and savor the ones that matter
When you place all of these mini snacks on a small single plate, you can visualize the scale shock.  Most of the time, we eat many more calories picking here and there than while eating one plate of food.

Fill in quality calories 
As you stack your plate, start with the vitamin-rich foods. Load it up with  raw or steamed vegetables and grilled proteins, like shrimp cocktail, then pick one indulgent item that you can’t live without and move on.

Avoid stress eating
Mindful eating is useful for everything from overcoming emotional eating to maneuvering through the calorie minefield that is cocktail hour. Food is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Instead of banning specific bites, give yourself “yellow light” and “green light” foods. Go crazy with fresh fruits and veggies, proteins, nuts and olives. Take caution with cheese, thick sauces, sweet treats and alcohol. Stress is one of the biggest triggers for mindless eating, especially during the holidays when many tempting sweets and heavy dishes are around.

Take your time
Another crucial component to mindfulness requires you to eat slowly. Take frequent pauses and set down your plate or drink. If you’re really yearning for another serving of any food item go back for more, but before you do, give your body at least 20 minutes (the average time it takes our brains to register fullness) to catch up.

Choose your beverages wisely

Juice, soda and alcoholic beverages are high in calories and sugar. If you choose to drink, make it simple and skip the fancy cocktails. You also want to skip the sugary seasonal coffee drinks, like peppermint hot chocolate and gingerbread lattes—they're full of empty calories. 

Choose immune-boosting ingredients

Ginger, turmeric, garlic, and onion are known for their immune-boosting and medicinal benefits. Incorporate these ingredients into your dishes to prevent catching a cold or the flu.

Move everyday

Even if you can't get a serious sweat session in, be sure to stay active throughout the day. Get 10 or 20 minutes in, and your body and mind will thank you. Choose something you enjoy such as a long walk, a hike, or dance class if possible.

Squeeze in a workout, even if you feel unmotivated

Once you start allowing yourself days off, you will lose the motivation to hold yourself accountable. Exercise during the times you are the least busy such as early mornings, that way you have nothing preventing you from working out. If you can’t get to a gym, look to perform HIIT workouts at home to stay active, increase your metabolism, and maintain your fitness and body composition better over the holidays.

Own your schedule

Take ownership of your eating and fitness schedule. Write down when you can squeeze in a workout and when you can prepare meals ahead of time. Your agenda can help maintain the waistline you've worked so hard for all year. It’s equally important to be honest with yourself about your slip-ups and to have a back-up plan for the future.

Plan your 2019 goals early

Instead of waiting for the holidays to be over, make a plan now. This will help you stay focused during the holidays and give you something to look forward to in the New Year.

And Finally Remember what the holidays are really about
So you ring in the New Year with an extra kilo. So what? Life goes happily on! Remember the holidays are about people: your friends and family. Make that your primary focus, and food secondary, and you will have such an amazing time.