Christmas weight gain - Ways to Stop the gain
- josephplatt1979
- Dec 20, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 21, 2022
Christmas weight gain
Many people may suffer from anxiety due to Christmas weight gain. They worry about the impact that being less restrictive with their eating will have on their waistline. The truth is that Christmas should be a time where you can relax and enjoy celebrating with food and drink without guilt or anxiety about your weight or your diet.
Don't beat yourself up if you feel you ate more than you should have or gained a few kilos over Christmas. This will create stress within your body and can lead to emotional eating.
The average person gains a couple of kilos at Christmas time and rarely loses it. You could be forgiven for starting a new year with a little extra weight on board.
While you might think you’ll lose those festive kilos as soon as the silly season is over, the majority of people never lose their Christmas weight and, even for those of us who do manage to drop the weight again, it can be a slow, frustrating journey back.
Here are some tips to help you avoid the Christmas weight gain during the holiday season.
Be active with family and friends
Activities such as sitting on the couch watching TV, are common traditions for many families. Inactivity will contribute to Christmas weight gain, especially if accompanied by overeating. Doing some physical activity with your family may prove beneficial for weight control. Something as simple as a family walk can get your mind off food and allow you to bond with your loved ones
Snack wisely
Unhealthy snacks like cookies and other goodies tend to be available for you to take as you please. This problem can be solved by keeping treats out of sight when at home. However, that strategy is more difficult to avoid in situations that you cannot control, such as at your workplace or a family party. Try to be mindful of your snacking habits. If you find yourself munching just because there’s food around and not because you’re hungry it’s best to avoid snacking altogether. If you are hungry and need a snack, opt for real foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are filling snacks that don’t contain added sugars or unhealthy fats, both of which can lead to weight gain.
Drink Wisely
Find a beverage you can make more figure-friendly. Use sparkling mineral water with fresh lemon or lime as a mixer, or choose a hard seltzer option instead of high sugar juices & cocktails. Diet soft drinks are not a good option as they contain artificial sweeteners which are neurotoxic & can wreak havoc with our gut flora – don’t use them full stop.
Watch your portion sizes
When the holidays season arrives, it can be easy to overload your plate. Those who eat larger portions tend to have Christmas weight gain more easily than those who don’t. The best way to overcome this is to control portion sizes or use smaller plates. To determine an appropriate portion size, read food labels and the recommended serving sizes listed on recipes. If you can’t do either, use your best judgment to fill your plate with a reasonable amount of food.
Get plenty of sleep
Sleep deprivation, which is quite common during the holidays, may cause weight gain. This is because those who do not sleep enough tend to be hungrier, consume more calories, and exercise less. Sleep restriction may increase your hunger hormone levels, ultimately leading to higher calorie intake. Additionally, inadequate sleep has been linked to lower metabolism. Aim to get around 7-8 hours’ sleep per night.
Lots of Water
Keep drinking lots of water to keep hydrated. Water is often what we are needing when we feel hungry. When we are fully hydrated, we feel fuller and less likely to snack. Drinking enough water each day is also crucial to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly.
Control your stress levels
Keeping up with the demands of the holidays can be stressful. Stressed individuals commonly have high levels of cortisol, a hormone that’s released in response to stress. Chronically high cortisol levels may cause Christmas weight gain, as they have been linked to greater food intake. Additionally, a stressful lifestyle may cause more cravings for junk food. For these reasons, it’s important to keep stress levels under control especially during the holidays. Plenty of techniques can help you reduce stress. Some options include exercise, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing.
Keep meals balanced with protein
Holiday meals are typically rich in carbs but low in protein. However, it’s important to include some protein with every meal, as it promotes fullness and may be useful for weight maintenance. In fact, eating protein with meals may automatically reduce calorie intake by reducing hunger and appetite. Protein is also beneficial for weight control because it increases your metabolism and levels of appetite-reducing hormone, Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, and some plant foods like beans and quinoa. Aim to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Focus on fiber
Fiber is another important nutrient that induces fullness. Some studies show that increased dietary fiber can reduce total calorie intake, which may help prevent weight gain over the holidays. Unfortunately, many common holiday foods lack adequate amounts of fiber. Do your best to eat fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Rest
Holiday mode should include some extra sleep & just lazing in general which will do us good, but all those extra hours of inactivity combined with indulgent Christmas fare can leave you with some new stored fat pretty quickly. Rest is vital for recovery and to help us feel better, but don’t go overboard with the rest and balance it with plenty of active fun & exercise. Try long bike rides with the kids, go to the gym, go for a run, swim, and even a walk. keep your metabolism firing & you won’t be bringing home too much weight.
Limit your dessert intake
Dessert is everywhere during the holiday season. This often leads to excessive sugar consumption, a common cause of weight gain. Instead of eating every treat in sight, just focus on your favorites and ditch the rest. Another trick is to savor the desserts you do indulge in, simply taking the time to eat them slowly — which may leave you feeling more satisfied and less likely to overdo it.
Use a smaller plate
Dinner parties and potlucks are common during the holiday season. But these celebrations don’t have to wreck your diet if you eat from a smaller plate. People tend to consume larger portions from big plates, which may lead to overeating.
Fasting or Time Restricted Eating
Try fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss. Fasting is not only just good for weight loss, it’s also great for your gut, liver & your metabolism to allow extended rest times with no calories coming in.
Avoid processed foods
Processed holiday foods such as boxed mashed potatoes and stuffing are more available than ever. While quick and easy, these foods often contain excess sugar and unhealthy fats that take a toll on your weight. To prevent weight gain, opt for whole foods and cook your meals from scratch.
Get some Supplements
Use supplements to help out if need be. Supplements are natural, effective ways to help you lose or control weight comfortably with minimal hassle, and are a cost-effective way to give a healthy diet a boost. Some that spring to mind as useful over Christmas are
Whey Protein - Whey is a perfect source of everyday protein with over 80% protein content and naturally occurring BCAAs to help build and repair new muscle. Protein will help you feel full and help with weight loss.
Green Tea - Increases your calorie burning ability in fast-acting Liquid Soft-Gels. This product has been formulated to provide a highly concentrated form of green tea extract combined with caffeine that, while not literally "melting? fat off the body, has been shown to Increase calorie burning (thermogenesis), Kick-start your fat burning ability (fat oxidation) and Supply powerful antioxidant protection.
Vegan protein - Completely free from dairy, this all-natural blend is packed with essential amino acids and over 21g protein per serving for people training on a plant-based diet. With pea protein isolate and brown rice protein, Vegan blend is a high-protein shake created to help achieve your fitness goals.
Slow release casein - Packed with 23g of slow-releasing protein, helping you to grow, maintain muscle, recover and help you feel full.
Accredited by the Cologne List®, Slow-Release Casein has been through rigorous quality and purity testing, and is officially one of the best protein powders out there.
The bottom line
While staying on top of your weight goals can feel daunting during the holiday season, multiple tips and tricks can help keep you healthy, happy, and weight-conscious during this time of year.
Beyond general diet tips, it’s best to make sure you’re getting plenty of exercise and limiting your intake of holiday treats to avoid Christmas weight gain.
If you’re diligent, you may find that you’ve not only prevented weight gain but even lost weight during this celebratory season.
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