Stay on Track This Holiday Season: 5 Hacks to Avoid Weight Gain
The most wonderful time of the year can also be the most challenging for your health goals. Between festive feasts, cookie swaps, and cocktail parties, the holiday season brings delicious temptation at every turn.
A couple celebratory pounds is no biggie, but many people struggle to not let their fitness regimen lapse into full-blown winter hibernation. If keeping your waistline in check is on your list along with Christmas shopping, these practical hacks can help you stay the course.
Trick Your Brain by Eating Normal Meals First
If you starve yourself in anticipation of a big dinner, it actually backfires. Skimping on meals early in the day causes blood sugar crashes that spark voracious hunger later. This primes you to drastically overeat when you finally sit down for your Holiday meal.
Prevent appetite meltdowns by fueling with balanced meals and snacks leading up to events. Consistent nutrition keeps cravings in check so you don't end up ravenously attacking holiday spreads like a crazed Tasmanian devil.
Resist the Temptation to "Exercise Away" Extra Calories
Ramping up workouts to extra high levels won't lead to the holiday free-for-all you imagine. Research shows we tend to drastically over-estimate calories torched during physical activity. So you end up eating back WAY more than you burned off trying to "make room" for holiday goodies.
Continue your normal exercise regimen to reap overall health perks, but avoid the urge to go into holiday exercise overdrive. Coupling extreme training with eating indulgently actually promotes poor relationships with both food and fitness.
Treat Yourself Year-Round By Baking Favorites Anytime
Around the holidays favorite sweets and treats seem to call out like irresistible sirens, coaxing you to indulge excessively. But here's a mindset shift that helps curb overdoing it: most holiday baked goods or seasonal dishes can be whipped up or purchased even in July!
Realizing traditional favorites like gingerbread cookies and pecan pies aren't exclusive to November and December helps halt the tendency to scarf down these foods like they’re going extinct.
Sleep Your Way Slim by Logging Quality Zzzzs
Here's alarming news that will make you sprint to bed for extra shut-eye: skimping on sleep dramatically affects hunger-regulating hormones. Sleep deprivation stokes appetite while simultaneously dulling signals of fullness. This cruel combo easily derails even the most disciplined dieters.
Combat cravings by carving out more time nightly for sleep. Schedule adequate sleep opportunity by maintaining consistent bed and wake times. You’ll shore up willpower reserves to confidently pass on second helpings of seasonal goodies.
Practice Moderation with Alcohol
The holidays and alcohol go together like eggnog and rum. But boozy beverages pack stealthy calories that can quickly blast through your daily limits without making you feel full. What’s worse, cocktails dissolve inhibitions and willpower, setting you up to mindlessly munch.
Practice moderation by diluting drinks with soda water, alternating between spirited and non-spirited beverages, or opting for lighter wine spritzers versus a sugary holiday punch. Pacing yourself equals fewer calories and lowered likelihood of grabbing goodies in an alcohol-induced binge.
This holiday season give yourself the gift of feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin, no matter how many gatherings dot your calendar. Using simple strategies helps strike that balance between health priorities and whole-hearted celebration so you can toast to both merriment AND wellness!
