BeFIT Resources

You Can Be Fit for the Holidays

The holiday season is upon us, so bring the leftover Halloween candy to the office and hunker down because this season you have BeFIT’s tips to battle winter weight gain.

This time of year is hard for many of us. Winter seems to be the time when we pack on the most pounds. There are more parties, homemade cookies, office candy, food gifts, and days devoted to an unrestricted allowance of excess calories. Many of us don’t think about what we eat over the holidays until it’s over. By the time it’s all said and done, we may step on the scale and be up to 10lbs heavier and realize it’s time to hit the gym and start the latest fad diet. This cycle of dieting, or “yo-yo dieting”, slows down our metabolism, causes us to lose muscle, and adds stress to your heart.

Adding to the weight gain is the stress of time restraints. Everyone is in a rush to buy and wrap gifts, decorate their homes, and host or attend holiday parties. Who has time for the gym or healthy cooking? Losing weight seems impossible so why even try? Most of us are happy if we can just maintain our weight throughout the gauntlet of holiday fare.

By following these easy steps, it is possible to maintain or even lose weight over the holidays without killing yourself and maybe even enjoying some goodies along the way.

Keep goals through the holidays. Walk on your days off, schedule time for the gym, and monitor eating by counting calories. Stick with your plan, don’t let one bad day ruin the year or justify holiday eating because you expect to diet after the New Year.

Eat on a regular schedule. Try not to skip meals, this may cause you to over eat or snack on unhealthy food later on.

Host your own holiday party. You control what’s being served so make healthy hors d’oeuvres. If you’re not hosting a party, eat before you go and only munch on healthy items.

If you’re preparing holiday meals, try not to sample too much. Spoonful’s can add up to a lot of calories. Try chewing gum and always use a small spoon to check for taste.

Portion Control. Use a smaller plate during holiday meals. Have extra turkey or ham which won’t leave much room for carb loaded sides and bread.

Drink water. Drinking water before and during meals helps us feel full faster.

Wait on seconds. Wait 20mins before going for a second serving. This gives our bodies time to process the food we ate.

Share Dessert. Cut the calories in half by sharing your dessert.

Sweets in moderation. Say no to office sweets. If you can’t resist a holiday cookie, try a single serving cookie recipe. Don’t eat items available all year round like M & M’s, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies.

Stay active. After the big meal go for a walk or participate in a calorie burning activity. When you’re out shopping, park in the furthest spot available, and take the stairs instead of elevators and escalators.