The holidays are upon us! Stringing lights, gift giving, holiday celebrations, and miles and miles of buffet tables. And oh, that holiday weight gain!
Did you know that many people gain 5 to 10 pounds over the holidays?! One month, 4 weeks, 30 days…and 5-10 lbs. of unhealthy body fat! You know you don’t WANT to add that weight. You may even be telling yourself that this year will be different from years past.
And the good news is that it CAN be!
I’ve come up with a survival strategy to keep holiday pounds from making a permanent home on your hips.
This strategy is very simple. I’m not expecting you to have the time to log all your calories or eat every meal at home. We are going to be realistic…
Golden Tip to Avoid
Holiday Pounds:
Spend the 4 weeks from Thanks-giving through Christmas eating like a caveman, with 2 daily exceptions.
Here’s why:
Eating too many foods that are high in carbohydrates and simple sugars causes holiday pounds.
You can avoid all that by sticking with an eating plan created by our pre-historic ancestors, while still keeping things fun by allowing for 2 small exceptions.
This is what you would eat…
As many fresh and fiber-filled vegetables as you want.
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- Load up on salads.
- Enjoy vegetable side dishes.
- Do your best to avoid starchy vegetables like potato or corn. Lots of lean, protein-filled meats and eggs.
- Stick with meat that has been roasted, barbecued, or baked.
- Avoid fried meats and eating too many of those cubed cheeses Fruits, nuts and seeds in moderation
- Fresh fruit for a delicious dessert.
- A handful of nuts or seeds for a snack.
- Don’t eat fruits, nuts or seeds that have added sugar. Then enjoy 2 small exceptions…
- Bread or grain product: No larger than the size of your hand.
- Starchy vegetables: Half of a cup.
- Baked goods: Should fit into the palm of your hand.
- Candies or confections: The smaller the better.
- Holiday drinks: 8 ounces.
This plan works because it allows you to indulge in 2 exceptions each day. This encourages you to pick and choose the holiday cheat food that you really love, as opposed to feeling obligated to eat everything in sight.
When you navigate the buffet line at your next holiday party, feel confident knowing that you have a game plan. Stick with salad, vegetables and meats first, then pick out your 2 small exceptions and savor those.
My mantra going into the holiday season: Failure to plan IS planning to fail. With a little mindfulness, you can enjoy the season and avoid the added weight gain.
Happy Holidays!
Jackie Bachmeier is owner/head trainer at Evolution Fitness & Wellness. She is a certified functional aging specialist, and focuses on functional fitness for the 50 and over population. Her Evolution Fitness & Wellness studio is located in the Copperfield area of Cy-Fair. For more information check out the EFW website at efw.fit
