How to Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays

There’s plenty to look forward to during the holidays. Decorating the home, buying gifts, celebrating with family and friends, and of course, the many feasts. Given all the delicious dishes and sweet treats, it's inevitable to gain a few pounds over the holidays. Here are tips to help you enjoy the season while being mindful and indulging in moderation.

Don’t put your diet on pause.

Every time the holidays roll along, there’s always someone or the other who remarks that they’re starting their diet after the New Year. Unfortunately, very few follow through and worse, this may lead to more unhealthy binging.

Time your meals.

What time you eat can greatly affect your body. Studies show that strictly eating from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. can help you lose weight. Since this method is similar to intermittent fasting, it can take 10 weeks for changes to take effect.

 

 

Staying active is key.

It’s easy to lounge around during the break, but if you really want to keep that holiday weight off, why not engage in activities that’ll make you break a sweat? You can even invite your family and friends to keep you motivated throughout the holidays.

Eat spicy food.

Capsaicin, a chili pepper extract, can fight fat by boosting your metabolism and reducing your appetite. So, make sure you add more chili peppers, cayenne pepper, or paprika to your diet.

Try to keep snacking to a minimum.

Sweets and many other treats are abundant during the whole month of December. It’s easy to reach for that box of brownies, but remember, snacking is one of the biggest weight-gain culprits. Keep goodies out your sight or limit yourself as much as possible.

Eat fiber-rich foods.

The biggest downside of holiday feasts is the fact that they’re low in fiber. Unfortunately, fiber is what keeps your weight in check. Now, during the start of the month, is the time to incorporate more fiber-rich foods into your meals.

Incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet.

According to Cosmo.ph, apple cider vinegar can reduce bloating, cancel out some of the carbs you eat, keeps you full longer, and more. All you need to do is add 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a glass of water and drink it on an empty stomach.

Plan ahead.

Make a mental list of what you should eat rather than going into a Christmas dinner blindly. This will help you prepare and keep you in check throughout the rest of the night.

Treat yourself on Christmas itself.

Even though you’re a good planner, it’s still the holidays! If you must, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are the perfect times to go a little bit crazy. The wait until then will help keep you motivated, and it’ll make indulging so much better.

 

 

Reach for a small plate.

If Christmas is no excuse to go all out, you can restrict yourself by choosing a small plate. It’s a good method to control your portions... as long as you don’t go back for seconds.

Eat more protein to combat carbs.

Holiday feasts are carb-heavy, to say the least. You can remedy this by eating twice as much protein as the carbs you pick out during your holiday feast. This will make you feel fuller with fewer consequences.

Be a picky eater.

When you’re dieting, what you eat should be valuable or ’worth it.’ Remember to only pick your favorites before you get a generous sampling of every dish on the table.

Drink water, and a lot of it.

Water helps make you feel full. Drink some before you start a meal, and continue throughout the night to keep yourself from eating too much. It’s also a good choice compared to sugar-filled sodas and cocktails.

This story originally appeared on Townandcountry.ph.

*Minor edits have been made by the SmartParenting.com.ph editors.