5 Ways to Avoid Weight Gain over the Holidays

As a fitness professional and busy housewife/mom, I often find it hard to “practice what I preach”, with regards to my nutrition.  A lot of us moms are on-the-go most of the day and rarely leave time for proper meal planning and drinking enough water, let alone sitting down to eat.  Now that the holidays are upon us, there is the added busyness of decorating, shopping, wrapping, hosting, partying, etc. (not to mention vacations/travel).

I just went on vacation with my family, and though I’m all about fitness, I’m still a normal person who likes to eat delicious meals and desserts and try the cuisine of new and exciting places!  Nevertheless, I did try to follow 5 simple rules to help me avoid weight gain during my trip, and I intend to follow them throughout the holiday season.

So, whether you’re staying in town for the holidays, traveling to someone else’s home or going on a vacation, I’ve put together explanations of my top 5 ways to avoid weight gain over the holidays:

1. Stave off overeating with water.  Drink at least 8 oz. of water before every meal, no matter whether it is a snack or a full meal.  Filling your belly with liquid will help send signals to your brain that you are full, so you will most likely avoid over-indulging.  Try iced tea or flavored zero-calorie water, if you get tired of plain water.  It’s better to be consistent in drinking prior to meals than to give up because you’re sick of water.                                                                                                                                          
2. Pack protein into your snack time to remain satiated.  I’m sure you’ve all heard that protein keeps you satisfied.  But how much actually does the trick?  Recent studies have indicated that you need at least 10 grams of protein with each snack to make it a satisfying, hunger-defeating snack.  Try one of the following: low-sugar Greek yogurt, a low-sugar protein bar (Think Thin, B-Up, Quest, Atkins Brand meal bars), 2 hard-boiled eggs, or a low fat cheese stick wrapped in turkey.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
   
3. Eat a small meal before heading to a party.  In keeping with the above trends, eat a protein-packed, low sugar, low sodium snack before you go to an event where most of the food or goodies will be hard to resist.  You should be less tempted to over-indulge if you aren’t hungry (kind of like the rule, “Never go to the grocery store on an empty stomach.”                                                
4. Sit down while eating.  Many reputable studies have shown that a major factor in overeating is how/when you eat.  If you practice sitting down every time you eat a snack or a meal (and that doesn’t mean eating in the car after pulling through a drive thru), you are most likely going to think twice about whether or not you have time for a snack.  If you have to find time to sit down to eat, then you can’t possibly eat as often as you would if you held a burger or sandwich and ate on the go.  Equally true, if you sit down to eat, you are more aware of your tummy, how full it actually is, how much it hangs over your pants, and how uncomfortable you are when you overeat.                                                                                                                                                                                
   
5. Take a hike!  I would be remiss as a personal trainer and nutritionist if I didn’t stress the importance of exercise.  You probably will overeat, or eat the wrong types of foods (processed carbohydrates, refined sugars, fatty foods, high salt content) because they are just so darn delicious or good to look at.  So, make part of your get-togethers active: an after-dinner walk, a hike with friends, a bike ride with the kids.  Burn off some of those foods you didn’t resist, and make activity more of a priority each day as you get closer to your New Year’s resolution.