Do you hear that? The holiday season is officially upon us, and with the holidays come the sugar and fat! This time of year brings so many good things: time with family and friends, fun events, and time off from work and school. Unfortunately, this time of year can bring some less pleasant things, such as a few unwanted pounds. With so much food temptation surrounding us this time of year, it can be difficult not to indulge and pack on weight as a result. In this post, we’re sharing a few tips to help you keep the weight off this holiday season, despite the temptations that lurk around the corner.
Eat before you go to parties
Fill up on healthy snacks before you head to holiday parties, and vow to skip the calorie-ridden appetizers. When your stomach is growling, it’s more difficult to keep yourself from making poor food choices.
Bring a dish
If it’s a potluck holiday meal, bring a healthy option(opens in a new tab) that you can enjoy minus the guilt. This way, you know there will be at least be one thing you can enjoy—and we bet the other guests will be happy about being offered a healthy alternative as well!
Be the host
If you’re really trying to prevent holiday weight gain, the best way to take control of the food options is to host the party. There are so many healthy twists(opens in a new tab) to your favorite holiday recipes. Just a few substitutions can make a huge difference! The dishes are still so delicious, but won’t set you back a few pounds.
Fill up on protein and veggies
When it comes to filling up your plate with delicious holiday food, opt to first fill up the majority of your plate with protein and vegetables. Next, you can add small portions of other less-healthy dishes.
Indulge a little
It’s the holidays! Some of these amazing foods only come around once a year. Figure out which food choice you would be disappointed not to enjoy, and allow yourself to enjoy it at your holiday feast.
Send home the leftovers
Especially at Thanksgiving, the majority of the weight-gain damage doesn’t happen the day of—it’s eating all of the leftovers the following week! Send those leftovers home with family and friends to avoid the temptation.
Have more ideas for keeping the weight off during the holidays?
We’d love to hear in the comments below!
