Holiday Weight Gain and What You Can Do to Prevent It

By Regan Case

Ahhh, 'tis the season…to gain the inevitable 5-10 pounds, you say? Recent studies have shown that the average weight gain during the six weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas isn't as much as we think. However, the majority of us never end up dropping those extra couple of pounds. Make the commitment now to not let that happen this year. You'll have a jump start on your New Year's resolutions, and you'll feel much better about yourself in the process.

Here are some painless recommendations on how to make it happen:

Never go to holiday parties starving. Eat a small, healthy snack beforehand. If you have the chance to bring something, make it a healthy, low-fat choice. At the party, don't linger near the food table when socializing and limit alcohol intake.
Increase your daily activity during the holidays. Add an extra workout, or if that's not possible, park further away when shopping, take the stairs more than usual, or go for a walk after dinner. It all adds up, and sprinkling exercise throughout your day keeps your metabolism revved, burning more calories all day long.
Learn and use some healthy calorie and fat substitutions in your holiday cooking: replacing higher fat cream and butter with reduced-fat or fat-free varieties, replacing butter with applesauce or baby pureed prunes in baking recipes, and using less sugar or a sugar-substitute.
Fill up on fibrous veggies and fruits—they keep you regular, and fill you up with fewer calories.
Add weight-listing and resistance training to your regular workouts. Not only will you increase your calorie-blasting and metabolism-boosting muscle while adding tone and shape to your body, but you'll also decrease your risk of many chronic diseases and conditions, including high cholesterol and osteoporosis. The benefits are endless. If you're new to strength training, be sure you learn the proper technique from a well-qualified Certified Personal Trainer.
Don't set yourself up for disappoint by expecting to lose weight during the holidays. Instead, focus on maintaining your weight, and establishing new habits for the upcoming New Year. If losing weight or toning up has been a common resolution that you've had trouble achieving in the past, try a different approach! Find a dependable workout partner to help keep you motivated and hold you accountable, or consider hiring a qualified, Certified Personal Trainer.

About the Author:

Regan Case is an ACE-Certified Personal Trainer with Studio One to One. For more information, visit Studio-OneToOne.com or call .

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Holiday Weight Gain and What You Can Do to Prevent It

By Regan Case

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