The holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy time with friends and family, however, many people use this time of year as an excuse to forget their health goals and over indulge in high sugar and high fat treats. On average, Americans gain a few pounds over the holidays. No big deal, right? Maybe not. Research shows that these pounds tend to stick, so this can add up to a significant amount of weight gain over the years. The keys to avoiding a growing waistline are moderation and mindfulness when eating.
Follow these eight simple tips to still have fun at your holiday party while maintaining your weight:
- Eat breakfast. This is a must any time of the year, but especially important when faced with candied yams, buttery mashed potatoes and warm apple pie a la mode at the end of the day. Make sure that you’re not arriving at your holiday party starving as this will only lead to over eating.
- Use a smaller plate. If you’re at a pot-luck or buffet style party, a smaller plate can help you keep your portion sizes small.
- Fill your plate with veggies first. It’s been shown that people who eat a salad first are more likely to eat fewer calories at a meal.
- Wait 10 minutes before getting your second helping. Ask yourself if you’re actually hungry before you get more food! Listen to your body’s cues and see what it actually needs.
- Choose lower calorie beverages. Most of the beers in the Sam Adams Winter Classics Mix Pack contain around 200 calories. Have one for taste and stick to light beer the rest of the night. If you’re drinking a cocktail, choose soda water as a mixer instead of tonic water. Tonic water has about 60 calories per serving, while soda water has zero.
- Taste desserts, don’t get full on them. Pick your favorite dessert and share it with a friend to enjoy just a few bites.
- Bring a healthy food tray to the party. It may not seem as cool to bring the veggie tray instead of the gingerbread cookies, but I’m sure there will be others at your party that will appreciate the healthier option.
- Fit in some exercise. Everyone is busy running around trying to find last minute gifts, but don’t cut your workouts. Always keep an appointment with your trainer or set up a time to workout with a friend.
One of my favorite quotes may also help you make healthier choices during the holidays:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
If having your best body or striving for excellent health is one of your goals, don’t let the holidays be your scapegoat for being able to eat and drink whatever you want. Reaching your health goals should be a continuous, year-round effort. Enjoy your time this holiday season and always keep your health in mind.
Amanda Brown is a Registered Dietitian and the newest trainer to the Innovative Results family. She is a talented athlete and a valued addition to our team. Stay on the lookout for more great nutrition info coming soon!
Merry Christmas!
Corey Beasley says
What tips or tactics do you use to avoid overdoing it this weekend? Are you eating better foods? Smaller portions? Eating before parties? Avoiding certain places?
Roger Beckett says
I read somewhere that america has a cooking problem evej worse than our eating problem. Lucky for me i have a family of athletes so even the mashed potatoes my marathon running daughter adds to the mix will include sweet potatoes…greek yogurt and chicken stock instead of cream and butter. the other thing we do is have more courses instead of just heap a ton of food on a single plate. eating small portions of many tasty small treats and doing lots of laughing and talking in between works for us