7 Simple Hacks to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

That’s right. You can avoid holiday weight gain. Which is good news considering the average American gains one pound that they won’t lose by the next year just because of holiday munching. A pound may not sound like much, but that one pound is from the holidays and since it stays through to the next year, you can see how these pounds pile up over the years. And that’s on top of other types of yearly weight gain. So, if you are trying to trim your waistline through the family meals and holiday snacks, follow these tips to avoid holiday weight gain:

Stay Active

Try taking a walk around the neighborhood after dinner, or before you even go to that family gathering. Even if it’s only 10 minutes, a little walking in between holiday visits will help stave off those extra pounds.

Watch Your Portions

It’s hard to resist that second helping of mashed potatoes or to sample all the desserts, but portion control is vital to avoiding holiday weight gain. 

Use a Small Plate

This will make portion control a lot easier. After all, there is only so high you can stack one plate and smaller plates will let you more accurately gauge how much you are actually getting.

Practice Mindful Eating

Paying attention to the flavor and texture of the food you are eating and savoring each bite is a major part of mindful eating. Think of how easy it is to mindlessly eat an entire bag of chips. This happens because we aren’t paying attention to what we ingest.

Get Some Sleep

This might seem a little out of place on a list about watching your weight, but stick with us. One of the most common side effects of lack of sleep is a spike in appetite, so when we are tired we tend to munch more than we do when we are rested. Take this step to ensure no drowsy munching happens when traveling or visiting family. 

Watch Your Liquids

Whether your preferred vice is cola or Corona, make sure you are accounting for your liquid calories.

Keep It Homemade

Try to avoid processed foods whenever possible and stick to homemade foods as much as you can. Processed foods can pique your appetite and cause blood sugar spikes that can lead to eating more than you need.

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

If you really want to take your weight seriously, consider creating new family traditions that don’t revolve around food. There are lots of things you can do instead of sitting around and eating.