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6 Ways To Avoid Weight Gain This Holiday Season

1. Don’t stress about it



Stressing out about eating a few snacks or calorie-dense meals is the fastest way to ruining your holidays. You have to realize that you won’t cause any irreversible damage if you just chill out and enjoy the food, all the while being mindful. A little bit of extra weight is inevitable when you’re eating and drinking more, but just relax and enjoy yourself, you can always balance it out. When you’re stressing, you’re bound to eat more nervously and more aggressively, so step one is to calm down.

2. Spoil your appetite



Being invited to holiday parties usually means snacking on pretzels, chips, and a cheese platter – all the while drinking tons of alcohol. The smartest thing you can do on those days is to spoil your appetite by eating a small high-protein snack around an hour before the party. This will ensure that you don’t go in there starving and attack the buffet, but will make you choose the things you really are craving. It will also keep your blood sugar balanced and curb intense cravings.

3. Don’t binge



Even if you’re letting a bit loose, don’t go off the rails. This means, no binging. It’s good to enjoy a dinner, drinks, and desserts, but that’s no excuse to wake up in the middle of the night for thirds and fourths, have some self control and your body will thank you after. Remember, it’s okay to eat a cookie, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat 12.

4. Pick your indulgences carefully



There is usually an overload of delicious food at holiday dinners, parties, and events; but sometimes, it’s not all worth it. Don’t waste calories shoveling bread rolls into your mouth, save your appetite and invest in holiday treats that you won’t be able to have at other times.

5. Get moving


This is a no-brainer but if you get a quick workout in, it would help tremendously. Even if you don’t have time to go to the gym, having a quick yoga session, a jog, or even just a brisk walk is a good thing.

6. Stay hydrated



Most of the weight we gain during holidays is not fat, but just water weight due to the high salt and sugar foods we eat. To keep the bloat away, make sure you’re drinking your eight glasses of water per day, and even more if you’re drinking a lot of alcohol!