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Looking to avoid holiday weight gain?

By Julie Stubbliefield October 17, 2014

 

The holidays are filled with social events and extra treats.  How will you navigate without adding the average 7-9 pounds that most women gain this time of year?

 

Make a plan:

Look at your calendar and see which events you have coming up.  As a general rule, you will probably know which types of food will be served at the functions, and it’s likely you already have a clue which ones will be your favorite.  For the events that serve your favorite foods, treat them as indulgences.  Enjoy the foods, savor the experience and move on.  For the ones that serve foods that don’t excite your taste buds, eat a sensible meal beforehand and hit up veggies, fruit, and water to be polite.

 

Navigating the goods:

If you are looking to choose the foods that won’t add the most pounds or bloating, you will want to focus on the veggie tray and proteins with no bread (meatballs, deli tray, cheese, deviled eggs).  Look to get your starch from fruit, if available.  If there is something you really want, like a sweet or wine, then take one or two bites or sips and get rid of it.  Limit or avoid the egg nog, sodas, sandwiches, chips and dips and pasta salads and anything that looks heavy or creamy.  

 

Wanna splurge?

If your event is filled with great food, then eat what you want and enjoy it, guilt-free.  Enjoy the conversation, eat slowly, and savor the entire experience.  The trick with the splurge is to keep it from being a four-hour splurge.  In other words, don’t hang around the food table and snack all evening.  Fix your plate, and walk away.  Get dessert, and walk away.  Have your drink(s) and walk away.  Know that it’s actually good for your body to have an indulgence, but it’s harder to beat the post-splurge bloat if it’s an all-nighter.

 

What’s in between?

What do you do in between all these special events to keep you looking your best?  Don’t deprive yourself; don’t save up your calories for later.  Stick to your normal eating plan (whether it is fat loss or maintenance) instead of using the holiday season as an excuse to “test the cookies” each night before bed.  t’s the same when it comes to daily food.

 

If you want to recover from an indulgent night, make sure you grab your free de-bloat guide here.  No one likes to feel puffy during the holidays!