Holiday seasons especially the Christmas season may encourage overeating, sedentary behavior and consumption of calorie- rich foods.
Holidays are generally the greatest contributor to your total annual weight gain.
I know you want to celebrate and go all out in cooking all kinds of meals and snacks, but you might want to tone it down a little. You really do not want to end up in the gym come January trying to burn extra weight gained over this festive season.
Here are tips to help you avoid gaining weight this festive season.
Snack wisely
During the holiday season, snacks and other goodies tend to be too available. You might miss the whole point of dieting and eating wisely.
When treats are easy to access, you are more likely to snack unnecessarily. Try to be mindful of your snacking habits. If you find yourself munching just because there's food around- and not because you're hungry it's best to avoid snacking altogether
Be active with family and friends
Sedimentary activities such as binge-watching with family are common holiday traditions for many families. Inactivity contributes to weight gain especially if accompanied with overeating. So try as much as possible to engage in active practices like running, evening walks, games and hikes with family and friends.
Watch your portion size
The holidays will have you loading up your plate. The merry and over excitement will have you eating for three if not seven. To overcome this, control your portion size or simply use a smaller plate.
Get plenty of sleep
You want to spend the whole night chitchatting, having game nights, and doing whatever with family and friends, it's a common tradition. Trust me we get it. But sleep deprivation leads to a significant amount of weight gain.Sleep restrictions may increase your hunger hormone levels ultimately leading to higher calorie intake.
Keep meals balanced with protein
Holiday meals are usually rich in more carbs but low in protein.However, it's important to include protein in your diet as it promotes fullness and aids in weight maintenance.
