The holidays are full of temptations. It’s often a time when people indulge in festive foods and drinks that are high in calories, fat, and sugar. These indulgences can make it difficult to maintain a healthy diet and can lead to weight gain. Additionally, the holiday season is usually a busy and stressful time. This can make it challenging to find the time and energy to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. With all that in mind, it is so easy to lose track of your weight loss goals. But holiday weight gain is not inevitable!
We spoke with Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements about how to stay on track with weight loss goals over the holidays. She gave us three tips: focus on weight maintenance, make healthier choices, and reduce portion sizes. Find out more below!
Focus on weight maintenance
We've heard of weight loss and weight gain, but what's weight maintenance? Weight maintenance is the idea of adopting long-term lifestyle changes to keep a healthy body weight based on a person's age, gender, and height. Eating a healthy diet and consistently working out are methods of weight maintenance. Long-term weight maintenance in adults is considered to be a weight change of under 3% of body weight. During the holidays, you may feel pressure to lose more weight but that’s not always the case.
"Weight loss during the holidays doesn't have to be a priority, sometimes this can distract from the importance of the season like being with loved ones. I recommend not becoming so fixated on weight loss that you miss out on being present in the moment. Make weight maintenance your goal rather than weight loss for a few days," Best says.
Approach the holidays with weight maintenance, not weight loss, in mind. Weight maintenance is completely individual to the person and it's a beautiful place to be. Not only is it freeing to fully accept yourself and realize that you're at a perfectly healthy weight for yourself, but it can sometimes show that all of your hard work so far has truly paid off!
Make healthier choices
Christmas ham, stuffing, and mashed potatoes are just some of the delicious, but inflammatory foods that are offered on the holidays (read on to learn more about the negative effects of these holiday dishes on your gut!) However, there are many healthy food and drink alternatives that you can have instead. That way you can still enjoy the festivities while also taking care of your health and maintaining your weight loss goals.
"When you aren't at gatherings, make healthy, nutrient-dense meals and snack choices. Don't miss out on a seasonal favorite for the sake of weight loss. One meal doesn't have to derail your goals and one meal won't cause excessive weight gain," Best notes. Got it!
She also has some other suggestions for healthy holiday substitutes. Instead of sugary cocktails, try making fruit-infused water. Opt for lean proteins, such as seafood, and healthier appetizers, such as veggie platters. Instead of grazing on snacks and treats throughout the day, try to focus on eating three well-balanced meals of nutrient-rich foods (a.k.a superfoods).
Reduce portion sizes
A portion is the amount of food you put on your plate, while a serving is an exact amount of food. Research has shown that people consistently eat more food when offered larger portions. So portion control is important when you're trying to lose weight and keep it off.
"Watching your portion sizes is a great way to maintain your goals while also enjoying the festivities," Best says. "Make intentional food and beverage decisions rather than going into a food-centered gathering with the last meal mentality, which can lead to overeating and food choices you wouldn't have made otherwise." Noted!
Just remember, the holidays are for spending time with loved ones and showing your appreciation for one another. That includes your body. Don't be too hard on yourself–your body will thank you for it!
