The holiday season has arrived. From now until the New Year, we have plenty of opportunities to celebrate with friends and family, as well as a few strangers. How can you stay on track with your diet and avoid gaining weight and belly fat over the holidays? Or, even better, keep losing weight?
According to some sources, the average person gains 3-7 pounds. Another study discovered that people who were already obese were more likely to gain weight. Those people gained an average of 8 pounds over the holidays. Worst of all, what’s the worst part? According to this study, many people never lose the weight they gain, which accumulates over time.
Aside from studies, it’s possible that you’re more important! What happens to your body while you’re away? Do you find yourself gaining a few pounds over the holidays that you can’t seem to get rid of in the new year?
Do you want to lose weight while still enjoy all of the wonderful holiday parties and gatherings? The good news is that you can enjoy yourself and eat delicious food without gaining weight.
The challenge with holiday weight gain
In the United States, the holiday season lasts a long time. It all starts with Halloween in October (or even earlier for some religious organizations) when you can fill your house with enough candy to last a decade if you take your kids to the right neighborhood.
Then there’s Thanksgiving to consider. The recommended daily calorie intake ranges from 1800 to 2400 calories (depending on your height and weight). A typical Thanksgiving meal contains around 3000 calories. That only applies to the food. This excludes any appetizers or snacks consumed prior to the meal, which add an additional 1500 calories to the total. In just one meal, you can easily increase your daily caloric intake. Thanksgiving dinner is typically high in fat and sugar, which does not help your body maintain a healthy weight.
Following the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be a flurry of holiday parties, luncheons, office parties, family gatherings, and holiday baking events. There are numerous opportunities to overindulge.
Then there are the winter holiday meals. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, or another holiday, you are likely to attend at least one-holiday feast with loved ones. These feasts also have 3000+ calories per meal on average.
With all of the delicious food, holiday baked goods, candies, and beverages, it’s no surprise that people gain a few pounds! Unfortunately, many people throw in the towel and believe that there is no way to get through the holidays without overindulging and gaining weight. However, it is possible to lose weight and enjoy your meals.
But let’s not get into how much weight you’re likely to gain. Let’s talk about how to keep it off and maybe even lose a few pounds along the way.
How to enjoy your holiday festivities and still lose weight
The good news is that you can enjoy all of those fun holiday events without being cursed with having to buy bigger clothes in the new year. All you have to do is plan ahead of time and be smart about how you enjoy your parties and festivities – and how you care for your body in between all of the events.
- Don’t forget to eat on party days:
People frequently believe that skipping meals before parties and feasts is a good idea to compensate for the upcoming large meal. Unfortunately, this makes you feel hungrier and increases your chances of overeating. Instead, eat nutritious, well-balanced meals to keep your body satisfied. This allows you to eat smaller portions at the meal or party. Green smoothies are an excellent pre-party meal because they are high in fiber and nutrients and will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
- Make use of portion control:
You know there will be a lot of delicious food at the event. It is also very likely to be very rich and unhealthy. While there is often a limited selection of healthy options at holiday parties, the food that is available is delicious! You don’t have to deprive yourself of these delectable treats. Go ahead and indulge in some homemade pie or that decadent cheese dip. Have fun with it! Simply practice portion control. Snack on a small slice of pie or cake. Rather than randomly grazing throughout the event, make a small plate for yourself with the treats you want so you can be mindful of how much you consume. Instead of a full serving of each food, try a few bites of each. Savor them as you eat them to ensure that you truly enjoy them. This also aids in the reduction of excess.
- Green Smoothie meal substitutes:
With all of the holiday excess, assist your body in rebalancing itself by eating healthier foods in between the festivities. Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis to help your body detox from the excess fats, sugars, processed foods, and empty calories consumed during the festivities. Green Smoothies are a great way to get your daily servings of fruits and vegetables while also keeping you full. To counteract the effects of your holiday festivities, replace at least one meal a day with a green smoothie.
- Get Your Body Moving:
Don’t let your workout routine fall by the wayside during the holidays. Allow your body to work off some of the excess by sticking to your regular routine. If you have a lot of events and chances to overindulge, you might want to plan some extra time to help your body cope.
- Perform a Quick Detox Between Holidays:
Schedule a few detox days in between celebrations to help your body get rid of the excess. Green smoothies, when properly prepared, make tasty and easy detox drinks that are great for ridding the body of excess without leaving you feeling deprived of flavor. During the holiday season, detoxing for a day or two after the party can help your body reset. As the holiday season winds down in the new year, it’s a good time to do a longer detox to clear your system and reset your diet to a healthier one.
The easiest way to stop holiday weight gain:
Why wait until New Years’ to start losing weight and burn that belly fat? By that time you will have put on even more weight and have a much taller mountain to climb. I’m all about easy, and that is especially true when it comes to losing weight and getting healthy.