5 Proven Tips For Staying Lean Over The Holidays
It seems to happen every year. You attend parties and office gatherings; sharing in festive moments with friends, family, and colleagues, and enjoying lots of great food!
When the holiday season is finally over, standing on the scale reveals the impact of all your holiday indulgences.
Research studies show that most adults will gain weight over the holidays.
But don’t despair! Here are some simple tips to help keep weight gain at bay; while still enjoying the fun and festivities of the holiday season!
Consider following these 5 tips to avoid holiday weight gain:
1 AIM FOR SEVEN-A-DAY
Making sure you eat seven (or more) servings of vegetables and fruits each day is a great way to help fill-up your stomach without ballooning your calorie intake.
The fibre found in fruits and vegetables will fill you up faster than traditional snack foods.
TIP: Before heading out to a holiday event, make yourself a snack of cut-up veggies. Or, if you don’t have the time, or are going straight from work, seek out the veggie platter when you arrive and dig in before reaching for the chips, crackers, or other holiday treats.
This should help you to take in fewer calories overall.
2 CAREFUL WITH THE SAUCES
Take control of what goes on your plate. Gravy and sauces will ramp up your calorie intake quickly!
A great way to make the turkey, roast beef, and mashed potatoes healthier is to forego the sauces altogether, but if you can’t resist your mother’s homemade gravy, just spoon a little on for flavour – no heavy pours!
3 BE AWARE OF THE CALORIES YOU DRINK
Sometimes, to get through the night, certain family gatherings may lend themselves to having a cocktail or two. And, we’ve all run into an over eager host who keeps refilling our wine glass; making us lose track of how many glasses we’ve actually had!
A bottle of red wine can contain between 600 and 800 calories
TIP: Start the night off with a soda water + lime. Sip on it for the first hour, and then, instead of overindulging in the sweet, exotic drinks…stick to the basics.
Reach for light beer or clear liquors with mix – like Vodka mixed with Perrier. These drinks will not only eliminate the post-cocktail bloat, they will also add up to about half the calories of the other drinks.
Another good idea (and to prevent a hangover the next day), is to have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink to rehydrate.
4 DON’T MAKE IT JUST ABOUT THE FOOD
Don’t make food the center of your attention. Instead, focus on what the holidays are truly about…spending time with friends and family.
Continue living your healthy life, and try to maintain your healthy routine. Would you normally over indulge in pies, cookies, or cakes on a daily basis? So why start now…just because it’s the ‘season’?
TIP: Avoid standing around the food table when you’re at a party. Focus your energies on making conversation with others instead of focusing on foods. Conversation is calorie-free!!
5 INCREASE EXERCISE
Exercise is a great way to burn those extra calories you may take in over the holidays.
At the end of the day, food is an important part of experiencing the holidays, and overeating is bound to occur. The way you respond to a night of indulgence will make a huge difference as to whether or not you’re able to stay lean during the holiday season.
TIP: DON’T feel bad, upset, or any other negative emotion towards last night’s indulgence. Rather, let it be the fuel for your next workout – and make it one of the best workouts you’ve ever done!
Try a spin class or a high intensity group training class; either of these options could help you burn over 500 calories!
Remember, the holidays are meant to celebrate good times with family and friends. Enjoy the holidays, and plan effective strategies to help achieve or maintain your weight loss goals.
Still feel like you need more direction? Click here for a free 15-minute nutrition consultation with one of our Nutritionists.