Key Dietary and Lifestyle Changes to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain This Season!

It’s that time of the year when the air is filled with the spirit of festivity and joy. With everyone smiling from ear to ear, feasting, and rejoicing the holiday season, weight gain is a downside nobody plans for! There’s practically nobody who walked out of the holiday season without gaining a few pounds. But did you know that it is possible to have a great celebration without cutting out on delicious food? Yes, you can stuff yourselves silly over cookies, quiches, and cocktails. But don’t worry, you can get back to your skinny jeans in no time if you follow the right rules.

While it is okay to lose track of your goals once in a while and eat that cake when you want to eat it, but it is important to note your larger goals and not sway into the celebrations of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and the new year so much that you end up piling on the weight and health issues. Now here’s a teeny-tiny fact that can make you reach for your running shoes and go for that run right now, Americans on average eat up to 4,500 calories during the festivities at the end of the year. Time to pass on the eggnog, eat right, and make workouts an integral part of your routine!

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Well, we are all guilty of that. We skip breakfast to get over the binge-fest and cut down on calories. But is that the right way to do it? Experts say no! We know you are hearing this a lot that breakfast may or may not be the most important meal of the day.

But what we know is when you eat the right, read protein-rich breakfast, there are fewer chances of you falling off the dietary wagon. So, when you are full, you are less likely to binge on that decadent piece of leftover chocolate cake, and if you are not, well, you may cave into your growling stomach protesting in hunger! So, keep protein as a primary source of food group in your breakfast, and you are sure to keep that holiday weight off one step at a time.

Cut Down Sugar

Sugar in all its forms is super tempting. But the truth is sugar is bad for you! and increases your risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. We know you cannot stop at just one when you are eating your favorite chocolate chip cookies, but it is just what you need to do. Take a cookie, eat it, and savor it so much that you won’t need another helping.

Yes, that’s possible. If you address your cravings the smart way, you could consume fewer calories without gaining weight. So, if you plan your holiday means right, you could have sweets and desserts without gaining weight. However, make sure you do not fill up your plate with them or go for a second serving! Sugar leads to weight gain and may cause the incidence of type two diabetes. So, choose wisely and eat the good type of sugar.

Include Veggies

Veggies add the all-important food component to your meals, fiber. Eating more veggies can not only up to your fiber intake without trying too hard, but also fill your stomach a healthy way. While it might not seem like the most desirable food in the holiday season, this is one way to stay healthy and in shape!

Walk Around

Sweating it out in the gym is not the only way to lose weight. You could walk around for a few minutes every day and burn calories. Yes, walking for something in less than 30 minutes could enhance your health too. If exercising an hour for most days of the week seems intimidating for you, you can try things like small workouts or say workouts for small durations. For instance, you could take the stairs, walk to the grocery store, and finish all your holiday shopping by walking to those places. That way, you burn all the extra calories you consume, and you can come out of the holiday season without looking like a balloon.

See, it isn’t as difficult as you thought it to be, right? Always be mindful of what you eat, and beat the stress. Besides playing havoc with your mental health, stress can affect your physical health in more ways than one. So, eat, drink and be merry in the holiday season but moderation! And don’t forget to tell us if these tips were helpful!