Photo credit: Amanda Adams

It’s that time of the year: feasting season. It is holiday season. It’s the time of cookies, pies, Mac and Cheese, mashed potatoes, cheesecake, gravy, and fat loaded dishes.

How do you prevent the holiday bulge? You know gaining ten pounds during the holidays.

Here are some tips that will hopefully help you from gaining weight this season.

1. Keep working out. It’s challenging to fit in workouts with all the holiday parties, yet it’s important to keep moving.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I decided to do dance and combat before dinner. It wasn’t fun, yet it was good to not just eat all day.

2. Stay hydrated. Dehydration triggers overeating. Staying hydrated also prevents overeating. Take in a glass of water before meals. Keep drinking water.

3. Instead opting for cider, wine, beer, egg nog, and other high calorie drinks, choose water. One may be okay, but don’t consume a days worth of calories in beverages. It won’t fill you up and will pack on the pounds.

4. Veggie out. Opt for plenty of veggies and less or no white foods: bread, potatoes, sugar, processed food.

5. Make the actual holiday your only cheat day. If you make the holiday season a cheat season, you’re going to gain weight. If you give yourself freedom on the holiday, you’re less likely to feel deprived and gain weight.

6. Grab a smaller plate. If you grab a large plate, you’ll want to eat everything on the plate.

7. Eat, wait 20 minutes before eating again. It takes your brain roughly 20 minutes to know it’s full. So eat, take a break, then decide if you’re still hungry or eating just to eat.

8. Recall how challenging it is to get the weight off. One pound is 3,500 calories. It takes longer to get the weight off than put it on. Don’t wait until January 1rst. Stay on task.

9. Don’t eat sweets alone. Best option is with protein to balance blood sugar.

10. Eat something healthy before holiday parties. Don’t go hungry.

11. Understand small quantities do not mean low calorie. All the dips, mini cheesecakes, and small items add up. A mini cheesecake may have 20 grams of sugar and 150 calories.

12. Commit to staying healthy even during the holidays. 🙂

I hope these tips help you and I stay healthy this season.

Erin