The time from Halloween until New Years can be the best time of the year while simultaneously being incredibly stressful. Some of this stress is unavoidable but some is caused by the fear of gaining weight. Many people start the holiday season with good intentions but eventually just say, “screw it” and go wild the rest of the year. It has been predicted that the average person may gain up to 5-10 lbs during the holiday season. Unfortunately, this can lead to feelings of defeat and depression when the new year starts. It can be really hard to stay on track during the holidays, especially when you feel like you are missing out. Below are my top 3 tips to avoid weight-gain this holiday season without feeling like you are missing out on the fun.
1. Don’t Be Too Strict With Yourself
This may seem counterintuitive but stick with me. When people try to be overly strict, especially during times of high stress, it creates an environment for disaster. Everything will go great until that one moment of weakness and then it’s all out of the window. Instead, make a plan to enjoy a moderate amount of holiday treats and drinks while planning to eat healthy meals that you love during the rest of the time. Feel free to add in a little extra movement each day, something like a 10-20 minute walk. I don’t necessarily agree that we should use exercise as a punishment for indulgence but we can definitely work in some gentle activity as part of an overall strategy.
2. Get Enough Sleep
This is good for any time of the year but the idea is the same. When we sleep like crap, we tend to reach for sugary, caffeinated beverages to help us get through the day. This leads to us consuming excessive and unplanned calories which will add to the beltline. Also, it is well documented that people who don’t get enough sleep or sleep poorly also tend to gain weight and have other health complications. If you need help getting to sleep, check my blog on sleep (https://docshaffer.com/blogs/health/what-to-do-if-your-sleep-sucks-4-hacks-for-the-restless)
3. Get Regular Exercise
This may also be a no-brainer but most people want to wait until the new year to start up a program. Even if you don’t want to go full out, it’s still a great idea to start a walking or yoga routine so you have a little momentum going into the new year while burning up some of those extra calories.
There you have it, three very basic yet effective tips to take control of the holidays. The key is really just to make a solid plan that you can REALISTICALLY follow. Then execute the plan and enjoy your success!