Are you in the middle of the holiday march between Christmas and New Year’s?
You’ve probably had your share of encounters with the good, the bad, and the ugly at meal time.
- The good = Healthy food
- The bad = Not so healthy food
- The ugly = Food with nothing but sugar, fat, and empty calories
Maybe you’ve gone out to eat at restaurants a lot. Had a few too many drinks. Or maybe you’re staying with friends or family where big meals, desserts, and sweet treats are a regular thing.
That’s the way dieting goes for most people during the holidays. Research shows a lot of people gain a few pounds during the holidays leading to New Year’s.[1]
But you’re better off avoiding the weight gain, than trying to play catch-up as soon as the New Year begins.
Need some help figuring out how to navigate the holidays without totally blowing our diet? Here are 10 ways to take on the holidays and keep the scale from tipping in the wrong direction.
1. Do your best
It’s hard to stick to your diet and log all your workouts during the holidays, especially if you’re travelling. But that’s not a good enough excuse to just give up. Do your best. If you’re really committed to shredding fat, building muscle, and transforming your body, look for ways to stick to your plans during the holidays.
2. HIIT cardio in the morning
Take control of your schedule. Wake up early enough to fit in your cardio before the rest of the day starts to unravel. Go for a walk. Climb stairs. Do sprints. Or hustle through a high-intensity interval training workout with bodyweight exercises. 20 to 30 minutes of cardio in the morning can help you burn enough calories to avoid holiday weight gain.
3. Fasting/Intermittent fasting
If you know you’re going to have a big meal for lunch or dinner during the holidays, try fasting. It’s one way to keep your calories in check, and still enjoy the holiday meal with your family and friends.
Here’s how. Eat light during the day before the big meal. After you’ve cleaned your plate, skip the next meal and practice fasting to control calories.
And if you want to level up, try intermittent fasting. Go without eating for 14 to 16 hours (part of this should be during sleep time). Then dig in and enjoy the big meal. It’s an effective way to stimulate your metabolism, avoid blowing all your calories, and control weight.[2]
4. Stay active
Some people think “relaxing” during the holidays means sitting around by the pool eating snacks and drinking margaritas. And some people head for the TV with a pile of Christmas cookies and New Year’s grog. Don’t let that be your definition of relaxing. There are a lot of things you can do that are relaxing and actually burn calories and fat to improve your health.
- Go for a walk outdoors, in the mall, or even a big box store.
- Use the hotel gym or pool.
- Plan ahead and find a gym you can train at while you’re on vacation.
- Exercise while watching TV.
- Choose activities that require a lot of walking.
5. Avoid or limit alcohol
Rum and Coke, wine, beer, eggnog with a kick. If you drink, you’ve probably gulped down some of these popular beverages during the holidays. But if you’re serious about building a better body, avoid or limit alcohol. One drink can have 100 to 200 calories, along with a lot of other side effects that won’t help improve your workouts or your physique.
6. Reduce meal frequency
When I’m not on vacation, I typically eat 6 to 8 meals a day. But those are calorie controlled meals with macros (protein, fats, and carbs) measured down to the last gram. Eating 6 to 8 meals when you’re on vacation is a recipe for weight gain. So when you’re on holiday, consider cutting back to just 3 to 4 meals a day.
7. Practice portion control
One of the easiest ways to do this is to dish up using a salad plate. Go ahead and pile it on. It’s still smaller than the amount of food you can pile on a typical dinner plate.
Think you’re an expert judge on portion sizes? Take the portion distortion quiz to find out.[3] Most people overestimate portion sizes and eat too much.
8. Chew your food
You might be tempted to wolf down that holiday meal, but resist the urge to inhale your food. Instead, take time to chew your food. Some research suggests that chewing your food about 40 times per bite, will help you eat 12 percent fewer calories.[4] Eating slower helps you feel fuller longer and improves digestion. Researchers also found that people who eat slower and chew their food more have lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin.
9. Drink up
Drink more water. It’s a simple way to help control calories and your appetite during the holidays, when you’re surrounded by extra food and treats. Aim for 3 to 6 liters of water a day. Have a glass of water when you wake up in the morning. Drink another glass of water before every meal. And stay hydrated throughout the day. Drinking water will help you feel fuller, flush out excess sodium, and improve body composition.
Enjoy the holidays without sabotaging your gains
You should enjoy the holidays. If you eat a little more than you should, or don’t hit as many workouts as you would like, move on and do better the next day. Just keep this in mind. What you eat is ultimately going to determine how you look. And if you’re eating too much, you’re going to gain weight and gain fat.
Instead of trying to shed extra pounds when the New Year rolls around, focus on staying lean and avoiding weight gain during the holidays. You got this.
References
- Diaz-Zavala, R., et al. (2017). Effect of the holiday season on weight gain: A narrative review. Journal of Obesity. From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514330/
- Byrne, N.M., et al. (2017). Intermittent energy restriction improves weight loss efficiency in obese men: the MATADOR study. International Journal of Obesity. https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2017206
- Ntional Hear, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2017). Portion distortion. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/portion-distortion.htm
- Li, J., et al. (2011). Improvement in chewing activity reduces energy intake in one meal and modulates plasma gut hormone concentrations in obese and lean young Chinese men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. From: ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2011/07/20/ajcn.111.015164.abstract