The holiday season offers great opportunities for spending more time with our loved ones and enjoying the beauty of life. Nevertheless, holidays often go hand in hand with weight gain. If you want to learn how you can maintain a healthy weight during the holidays, you are in the right place. Let us explore together some of the top reasons for gaining weight and how you can prevent it.
According to research, you can prevent huge weight gain over the Christmas holiday season. To do so, you simply need to pay attention to the following key factors.
#1. When You Eat
Believe it or not, it is advisable to eat at the same times each day. This helps your body digest the food you consume.
#2. What You Eat
Remember to snack wisely. Yes, it is tempting to grab foods that are high in fat and sugar (chips, chocolate, etc.). However, these are foods that cause weight gain. Therefore, make sure you limit your dessert intake and surround yourself with fresh fruit and low-calorie yoghurt. If you want to avoid the most fattening food types, include some protein with every meal. It is also important to consume fibre-rich foods like nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetables because they reduce total calorie intake.
#3. How Much You Eat
Another strategy for avoiding holiday weight gain includes eating from a smaller plate and skipping second helpings.
#4. How Often You Eat
It can be very tempting to taste-test your dishes or serve yourself seconds when holiday meals are served buffet-style. Therefore we recommend that you make the conscious decision to stick to just one meal. On the other hand, do not forget to have at least five servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Doing so will help you limit food cravings AND take care of your health.
#5. What You Do While Eating
It is not a coincidence that more and more people are talking about mindful eating. If you often find yourself eating on the go or in front of the TV, you better reconsider. Slowing down and focusing completely on the food you eat will help you feel when you are full.
#6. What You Drink
If you want to avoid seasonal weight gain, do not forget to pay attention to what you drink, as well. On the one hand, most fizzy drinks are rich in calories. On the other hand, alcohol consumption increases appetite.
#7. How Often You Move
Naturally enough, you need to move your body if you want to stay fit. This particularly applies to the holiday season when we tend to overeat. So, one thing you can do is stand up for a couple of minutes every hour. Also, strive for making at least 10,000 steps each day.
In addition to the tips listed above, we would like to remind you that it is not uncommon for women to experience period weight gain. Therefore, do not panic if you temporarily gain 2-6 pounds during your period. Nevertheless, remember that stress makes you fat. So, if you want to make sure you avoid weight gain, take care of your mental health and learn how to deal with stress.
