Most people have been conditioned to think that holiday weight gain is simply something that cannot be avoided. There is no natural process that forces us to gain weight during the holiday season, however, unless we are talking about large bears preparing for winter hibernation. The truth is, holiday weight gain is something that can be completely and totally avoided with only a couple of handy and useful tips. Before you start munching on your family's holiday meal, consider these quick tips for stopping holiday weight gain, and you may find yourself completely avoiding the weight gain trap during the holidays no matter how many pieces of pie your grandparents try to feed you.
- The biggest pitfall when it comes to holiday eating and holiday weight gain is portion control.
When your family serves a large holiday dinner, you may find it difficult if not outright impossible to keep from eating something from every plate or platter on the table. This is where most people fail and find themselves gaining weight. You cannot forget everything you have learned about portion control by eating up a portion of everything that is served to you. Instead, choose a couple of different food items and serve yourself one portion of each. For example, if you enjoy stuffing, sweet potatoes and turkey during thanksgiving, serve one portion of each and concentrate on eating those first.
- Remember that you can always go back for more if you are still hungry.
You should also keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with bringing leftovers home with you. In other words, there is absolutely no reason to treat holiday meals like an all you can eat buffet, it simply does not have to work that way.
- If you are afraid of eating too much during a holiday meal, there are a couple of good tactics that you can employ to fill yourself up faster without all of the calories.
Start by drinking a large glass of water about 30 minutes before you are set to eat. If you are still feeling really hungry at meal time, consider eating an apple or at least half of an apple before you dig in to the real meal. Apples are full of fiber and protein which makes you feel full faster and longer, which will prevent you from overeating the turkey, stuffing, ham and other less than perfectly healthy meal options. This will make the portion control aspect of eating a holiday meal much easier to deal with, and will save you several hundred calories if not more.
Learning how to stop holiday weight gain is not difficult, you simply have to exercise a little bit of discipline and keep yourself from over eating during the family holiday meals. This is definitely attainable, it just takes practice and perseverance if you want to have a nice family dinner over the holidays without gaining a great deal of unwanted weight in the process.
Photo Credits: 1
Originally posted 2008-12-17 05:03:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Ultimate Weight Loss Solution Review Pros: Some dieters felt that it fit well with their busy and hectic schedules. Some dieters felt that it was simple to understand. Some dieters felt that it was relatively easy to stick to. Some dieters felt that the results were quick or timely. Some dieters felt that eating out...... -
How to Eat Right When No One Else Will For many dieters, the biggest problem they face isn’t necessarily their own lifestyle change, but rather the fact that the people around them refuse to go along with the idea. It can be nearly impossible to focus on eating the right way when you eat out or are sitting across...... -
2.2 Pounds Gained This Week... WTF Pardon my french, but I am at a bit of a loss... I stuck to my diet more rigorously this last week than I had been since near the beginning of my journey. If anything my portions may have been a little large with the evening meal. I have started...... -
Coming Back After an Injury Injuries are an unfortunate part of exercise for many people, and in some cases, one bad injury can completely derail your plans for weight loss and getting fit. However, there are certain techniques that you can use to ensure that you’ll keep losing weight and getting healthier, even if you...... -
Your Guide to Summer Parties and Staying in Shape Summertime is party time for many people and there will be plenty of barbeques and nights out that may test your dieting endurance. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to become a hermit just to keep your body in beach ready condition. Here are some tips on how to......
Related Websites -
Triathlon Nutrition Tips When it comes to triathlon competitions such as the Iron Man, fitness alone is not going to be guarantee enough that you are going to win. It is absolutely vital that you develop good nutrition habits as well. This is one of the most important parts of planning for the...... -
Fishing Report: May 20, 2011 Fishing on the lakes has seen different results based on where you are fishing. Most sites are seeing good results with a lot of fish being caught. Look here to get the information that you are looking for. ANDERSON: Fishing near the bridge on the south end is a good...... -
Tips for Swimming in the Triathlon Swimming in the triathlon is different from any other kind of swimming. There are tips which will allow you to perform well in this portion of the competition without sapping all of your energy. This is important seeing as you will still have two kinds of competition to engage in...... -
Sweeney Ridge If you want to spend a day in the Bay Area, recharging yourself and your family, check out the following adventure spots. Keep in mind that the right adventure can really nourish a soul. Sweeney Ridge near San Francisco offers some truly great outdoor adventure potential. If you are tired...... -
Holiday Shopping Techniques To Avoid Breaking the Bank It is looking like the upcoming holiday season will be gloomy for many families, given the current state of the economy and continued bad news on many financial fronts. While this may not be a time to go all out with gifts, there are holiday shopping techniques that you can......
- Large Coolers & Ice Chests Outdoor Cooking & Eating Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
- Atkins Diet Weight Management
- Water Plants Ponds Water Features Garden Dcor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
- Apple Coolers & Ice Chests Outdoor Cooking & Eating Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
- St. Patricks Day Holidays Postcards Collectibles
Categories:
3 comments ↓
I completely agree with you. Watching your portions is a big key. Another tip I would add is to actually use smaller plates. With a smaller plate, it’s harder to load up with more food than you need.
Great content! One more tip i would like to add is you liquid intake. It’s amazing how many calories you can cut out by just avoiding juices and soda! And being we’re talking about holidays, you might want to mention limiting the beer intake as well!
Some great points. I have recently come back from an all-inclusive holiday where all meals were ‘all you can eat’. And amazingly I came back having only put on a pound!
I think I managed this by doing exactly what you said – by drinking a zero calorie drink before my dinner. I also had another zero calorie drink between my dinner and desert, and had mostly watery fruits for desert. The drinks definitely made me feel fuller so I didn’t eat as much.
Leave a Comment