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How to Avoid the Holiday Bulge

Each holiday season brings with it the possibility of unwanted holiday pounds that often stick around indefinitely. Many of us gain a few pounds over each of the holidays, and according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, most Americans never lose the weight we put on.

These tips will help you enjoy holiday parties and gatherings, while avoiding gaining the extra weight in the first place.

1. Arrive Satisfied

Grab a juice, smoothie or a healthy snack that leaves you feeling full and content before the party. This will help you to avoid over eating the nibbles and dishes. We always make better choices when we are not overly hungry.

2. Avoid the Nibbles

You can ingest your entire days’ worth of calories by just enjoying too many nibbles before the main meal of the event. Chips, crackers, store-bought pre-roasted nuts and other snack foods are easy to munch on, but they won’t give you a sense of satiety, and they’re absolutely loaded with empty calories. If you tend to nibble then bring a plate of vegetable sticks, natural dips and a fruit plate to enjoy!

3. Spend Your Calories Wisely

Let’s be honest, we really do want to enjoy some fun food, so when you decide to indulge make sure it’s something that you really want and enjoy it wholeheartedly. Just remember to choose just one or two special treats each time and make good healthy choices for the rest of the holiday!

4. Watch Your Alcohol

So many calories are consumed unknowingly through alcohol. One glass of wine or champagne often contains approximately 120-150 calories — just a few extra glasses and you’ve consumed many unwanted calories.

Keeping well hydrated while drinking can help you avoid over drinking and drinking too quickly. If you plan to enjoy a few glasses then make healthier choices that are low in sugar, alcohol mixed with a fresh juice mocktail or a dry wine or champagne.

It’s also important to limit yourself to a set number of glasses and make sure your pours aren’t oversized. Alcohol also increases the chances that we will overeat and not care what choices you make as we lose our inhibitions.

5. Make It Light

Making your Christmas feast as light as possible with loads of plant-based dishes will leave you feeling full, content, happy and lighter! While that heavier calorie dense meals will leave you bloated, tired and swearing off food for life. Warm salads are also a great addition during the cooler months to increase your raw intake of fruits and vegetables, while here in Australia in the blazing heat salads are definitely on the menu.

6. Don’t Overeat

Overeating puts a great strain on your digestive system and energy reserves, which is why it’s so common to feel fatigued after your Christmas lunch. Keep it light and work on eating to 80 percent full and you will have great energy all day to enjoy your holiday!

7. Make a Smart Sweet

To share and enjoy small portions with these types of smart sweets which are loaded with healthy fats and no processed sugars which help to fill you up with less and they won’t stimulate your blood sugars and increase your cravings!

8. Do a Reboot in the New Year or Before!

Committing yourself to one of our fabulous plans can really get things moving in the right direction for 2017. Has your to-do list included weight loss in years gone past? Make 2017 the year you live a happier, healthier and lighter year!

9. Remember What the Holidays Are Really About

It’s really important to remind yourself what the holidays really mean to you! For many, holiday periods are about celebrating the good things in life, having gratitude, spending time with loved ones and relaxing. Remind yourself what the holidays mean to you and try to focus less on the food and more on what’s important.

10. Don’t Forget to Move 

Go for a family walk before or after your festive fun, listen to your favorite Christmas carols or energizing music while cleaning and prepping food — these are all easy ways to make sure you’re moving.

If you have recently lost weight or committed to a Reboot and you want to avoid rebound weight then it’s important to stay on track and make good choices throughout the many temptations of the season. Stick to these tips, and enjoy your holidays!