Did you know that on average Americans gain 5 pounds every holiday season? Yeah. And…they usually don’t lose it during the year so each year the weight just keeps adding up. This is one of the major causes of adult weight gain. So, how do we avoid the dreaded holiday weight gain? Here are a few simple tips and tricks to avoid packing on the pounds during the holidays!
1. Don’t Skip Meals
Sometimes you may be tempted to skip meals earlier during the day in order to “save you calories” for later, but this can end up backfiring because when you go to the party (STARVING) you end up overindulging and eating more calories, fat and sugar, than you probably would have if you’d eaten normally during the day.
2. Have a Healthy & Filling Snack Before Parties or Events
This kind of goes along with number one but eating a healthy filling snack an hour or so before a big holiday party or meal can help you from overdoing it when you get to your event. A few snack ideas…
Handful of nuts/trail mix
Apple with peanut butter
Greek yogurt with fruit and granola
Veggies with hummus
Protein shake (using Gnarly protein powder of course!)
3. Stay Hydrated
Sometimes being dehydrated can be confused with hunger. If you find that you’re hungry and have recently eaten, try drinking a glass of water…then wait 15-20 minutes. If you’re still hungry, then eat, but, if not, you may realize you were just dehydrated.
4. Make Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Holiday Foods and Desserts
You shouldn’t have to deprive yourself of delicious treats, especially during the holidays. So enjoy treats, but in moderation. One great way to do this is to make healthier versions of your favorite holiday foods. Look on Pinterest, blogs (like bakingdietitian.com!) and other social media accounts to find healthified versions of your favorite treats! You can also use healthier substitutes in your holiday baking (i.e. avocado for butter, applesauce instead of oil, greek yogurt instead of sour cream, etc.)
5. Stay Physically Active
It can be hard to stay motivated to work out when it’s freezing outside and the last thing you feel like doing is going outside and heading to the gym…but that’s okay! There are plenty of fun ways to stay active during the winter. Try things like skiing, snowshoeing, winter hiking, ice-skating. At-home workouts are another great option! Find some friends to join you, it helps keep you motivated all year long!
