 Did you know that the average person gains anywhere from 1 to 12 pounds during the holiday season alone? With the many holiday get-togethers coming up and all the delicious yet fattening treats that'll surely be served, to assure this doesn't happen to you, a plan of action is needed to assure you won't go into the New Year being heavier than before.
Here are some simple holiday diet tips and tricks to help you avoid the holiday weight gain that afflicts so many people.
1. Get Moving - Start an exercise regime now to get your metabolism in fat burning mode. You can workout at home by simply purchasing a few exercise videos or hand weights. You can also become involved in outdoor sports. As little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can make a huge difference in maintaining weight or shaping up muscles. If you need motivation, call some friends and have them join you.
2. Map out your events on a calendar - By taking this first step you can plan in advance how those parties will fit into your weekly meal plan so that you stay within the desired weekly calorie range to prevent weight gain.
3. Eat before you go - we talk about this before but if you eat a sensible snack or small, healthy meal before you leave for a party or occasion where there will be fattening foods you'll be less likely to have your eyes make decision for you. Don't eat so much that you won't want to eat at all, but enough that it will curb your appetite. Again, by having something healthy in your system already, you'll be less likely to spurge too much. The less sugary, fattening foods you eat, the less weight will creep onto your body during the holidays.
4. Avoid temptation by allowing yourself to indulge a little - For those holiday parties and get family gatherings, allow yourself to indulge on one item such as the appetizers or the dessert - but not both. At the event, try to avoid temptation as much as possible. You may not be able to avoid all temptation but you don't have to stay right by the food table. Get a small plate instead of a larger one, put on it a few things you'd really enjoy and then move as far away from the food as possible.
5. Stay away from empty calorie beverages such as alcohol- At the events drink something other than alcohol which has more calories than you might imagine. Drink lots of water - One of the best ways to avoid gaining weight during the ‘season of eating' is to drink a full 16-ounce glass of water before eating. If you fill your stomach up with water you'll be less likely to overeat. Does this mean you won't be able to enjoy any of your favorite holiday foods? Absolutely not! It simply means you won't want to eat as much as you would if you hadn't had the water
6. Don't eat after 7:00 pm - Research show that the earlier in the day foods are eaten, the more likely they are to be burned off. Therefore, eating late at night will almost assure that the food you eat will be stored as fat. Celebrities and professional athletes use this knowledge to their advantage and refuse to eat after a certain time at night. With this in mind, try using your natural body physiology as an ally in your weight control battle by making 7:00 p.m. your cut off. If your holiday party starts late, try to avoid those late night Hors d'oeuvres.
7. Eat healthy during the rest of the days - Be sure to eat healthy foods during the rest of the day when you know you have an event to attend. Your daily goal of seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day will allow you to fill up with good things rather than things which aren't so good for you. With this weight control strategy, if you've eaten well throughout the day, eating a small amount of sweets won't be so bad
These are only a few ideas to help you say no to weight gain this holiday season. Be creative when it comes to holiday eating. Don't deprive yourself when it comes to holiday goodies but learn to use moderation to avoid gaining extra pounds this year. If losing a few pounds is part of your 2011 New Year's Resolution and you'd like our help be sure to to fill out our weight loss survey and you'll receive a FREE body fat analysis.
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