How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
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It’s that time of year again! Visions of sugar plums, Christmas ham, festive cocktails and figgy pudding dancing our heads. While the most wonderful time may also be the most delicious, what’s not so merry is what it can do to our waistlines.
One study, published in 2016 in the, New England Journal of Medicine, found that the over one thousand Americans who were asked to weigh themselves daily gained an average 1.3 pounds during the Holiday season —and that’s on top of additional weight gained during Thanksgiving.
Starting at the age of 25, the average adult adds on 2.2 pounds annually, that means more than 75 percent of that yearly weight gain occurs during the holidays. What’s more is that those extra pounds usually don’t come off over the following year.
And Christmas Dinner isn’t the only culprit. The holiday festivities rack up the calories. For every white elephant, secret santa, ugly sweater bar crawl, and office Christmas party there are at least two things that will always be present – snacks and drinks.
Avoiding the holiday weight gains sounds impossible, but if Santa can fit down billions of chimneys in one night, you can avoid packing on that extra pound or two during the holiday season.
There ARE ways to avoid this trap. Try these simple strategies and you can still eat, drink, and be merry without piling on the pounds.
In your off-time, stay balanced and eat well – Think whole, minimally processsed and healthy foods when you’re eating during the week. Keep it balanced with protein, fat and smart carbs.
Don’t Deprive yourself, but do be mindful – The best ways to practice mindful eating during the holidays is to EAT SLOWLY- you’ll end up eating less. Strike up friendly conversations so you won’t be scarfing food down the whole time. Come up with a game-plan before heading out for the festivities like eating before, so you won’t eat as much at the event. Avoid sitting or standing near the buffet table when possible, and set a one-two drink limit for when you’re out for the evening. If there’s dessert, don’t think you can’t indulge, but tell yourself that you are only going to have two bites and you’ll be satisfied.
Up the Activity
Working out is a must when avoiding weight gain during the holidays. People begin to not make time for their workouts. Make a schedule, put it on the calendar! High-intensity and total body core routines are perfect, quick workouts to get into shape because they use up so many of your carbohydrate stores. Compound sets in particular can boost your metabolism to get rid of fat and promote muscle growth. They’re perfect for before a big night out, or after a holiday lunch. Check out our YouTube Channel for ideas.
The holidays have descended upon us, and we are here to spread some joy and holiday cheer by telling you that you CAN avoid building a tummy that shakes like a bowl full of jelly. Use these tips and feel free to follow us on instagram @3in1elite for more daily tips! Happy Holidays!