10 Ways To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

The holidays are now upon us and most of us will struggle to not indulge too much at the parties and family get togethers. In this blog, I have compiled my favorite strategies to not let that indulgence get out of hand!

1. Talk to everyone- This tactic is one that works best for myself. Work the crowd and keep yourself distracted by all that yummy food being served while focusing on chatting it up with all the guests.
2. Exercise before the party- This is my favorite on the list. It is ok to indulge “a little bit” if you had a good workout before you arrived.
3. Eat before you go- This might sound counterintuitive especially knowing that Uncle Fred will be there with his amazing brownies. You don’t have to eat a 4 course meal beforehand, but focus on food that will make you feel full such as protein, healthy fats and fiber.
4. Watch the alcohol- Drinking more alcoholic drinks increases your chance of eating more. This is a fact, so watch your consumption!
5. Drink more water- While you are at the party try and consume as much water as you can. You don’t have to set records, but keeping you “full” will cause you to not overeat due to a water belly you are nursing.
6. Sit down- Tell yourself you will make one plate, sit down eat, and you are done. This will keep you from mindlessly grazing while standing and socializing at the food table.
7. Eat good food- Most parties don’t just have cakes, cookies and chips. Try and focus on the healthy food such as the veggie and fruit tray, proteins like turkey and chicken, and avoid the dips and sauces they are loaded with tons of sugar and unhealthy fats.
8. Distractions- Most parties will have kids, games and sports on a TV at the party. These distractions can be a positive thing to keep you from focusing on devouring more food than need be!
9. Wear form fitting clothing- This strategy is commonly used by women, but can be used by men as well. It is quite simple, the more you eat the more uncomfortable you will get due to your stomach expanding against your tight waist band.
10. Execute the plan- If you know you are one that is vulnerable to overeating at parties then make sure you rehearse these strategies beforehand and execute them while there. Don’t go without a plan, that is a recipe for disaster!