The holiday season is notorious for weight gain and indulgence. But, what I want you to know is that this does not have to happen to you! Here’s how to avoid weight gain during the holidays.
The holiday season is in full swing y’all! You know what that means…everyone is eating and drinking all the things, myself included! I always promised to be real with you guys, so let’s have a quick pep talk. Is it even possible to survive the holiday season without that dreaded 10ish pounds weight gain?! Of course it is. Here’s how to avoid weight gain during the holidays!
Add some cardio into your life 4-5x/week
If you know that you’re not going to be the person to pass up the cakes and cookies at the office right now it is absolutely ESSENTIAL to add some cardio into your life. As I’ve always stated, there are two ways to create a calorie deficit: managing your nutrition or doing cardio. You know, that thing called balance.:)
Even if you are consuming those extra calories, you can control the damage by doing at least 30 minutes of consistent cardio 4-5 times per week. If you’re feeling extra motivated or if you know that you need to, 45-60 minutes of cardio is ideal. Your body will be forced to utilize your fat stores for energy during any cardio workout over 30 minutes, you’re welcome. If you need some cardio ideas, check out my cardio blog post.
Indulgence meals vs. indulgence days
While everyone loves indulgence days, this is the number one way most people gain weight during the holidays. This is because that one donut on your break turns into two, then lunch turns into a buffet, before you know it you don’t care and you’re going through the drive-thru on the way home, repeat 2-3 days per week, and now it’s become an indulgence month. Sound familiar?
What I want you to recognize is that you are entirely in control of this situation and it doesn’t have to end up like this! What can you do? Map out your holiday celebrations and decide where you want to have your indulgence meals (try to limit it to 1-2x/week) and stick to it. For all of the days and meals in between put on some blinders, pass up that box of See’s candy, and stick to your goals. You’ll never regret passing up a piece of chocolate, but come January you’ll regret saying yes to everything. If you need event specific tips, I’ve got you! Here’s how to attend an event without overeating.
Alcohol is not calorie or carbohydrate free 😉
After practicing Dietetics for the last two years, I’ve recognized that most people have very little insight on the nutritional makeup of alcohol. So let’s get down to it! If the alcohol is made with barley (beer), grapes (wine), flavorings (flavored hard alcohols), or juice/soda (mixed cocktails) this means that it contains carbohydrates – lots of them!
And let’s be honest, most people don’t have just one drink, especially during the holidays. With all of those carbohydrates adding up it’s a guarantee of the body turning the excess carbs into stored body fat. So, what can you do? Have a drinking game plan! Most non-flavored hard alcohols have minimal to no carbohydrates in them, so if you mix them with soda water or diet soda you are making the world of difference to your waist line. If you’re feeling extra fancy you can go with my favorite – Brut champagne! It has roughly 1 gram of carbohydrates per glass, it’s pretty amazing.
Enjoy Yourself!
At the end of the day the holidays are about spending quality time with family, friends and co-workers. Don’t overly stress about what you are eating and drinking, just remain mindful and you will be just fine. Make the best of it and don’t forget to enjoy yourself!
Stella and I Want to Wish You a Happy Holiday Season!
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