Keep The Weight Off This Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate. If you're like most people, this means parties, and lots of it. For some, weight gain is inevitable at this time of year. You'd be lucky if you can maintain your weight or just gain a few pounds. Some studies show that you can expect up to 5 to 6 pounds weight gain during the holidays. This may be cause for anxiety for some people. All the hard work of the past year could go down the drain in one month. You can accept that you're going to gain weight this Christmas. Or you can make plans to prevent or at least minimize it. Here are some tips to help prevent weight gain this Christmas.

Expect the Christmas season to be busy. Aside from the parties, you're going to be busy attending to other holiday obligations. Allotting time for exercise could be a challenge. However, if you want to maintain your weight, you have to be active. Doing your workouts consistently will balance your indulgences. Working out releases feel good endorphins that will put you in a good mood. Just right for a party. If you can't do your regular workouts, just get active. A 20 to 30 minute walk is better than nothing at all.

Always eat before going to a party. Fill up on low calorie, high fiber food choices. This will prevent you from eating fat laden, high caloric food more than you should. Survey your food choices before proceeding to the buffet table. Drink water to fill you up some more. Only get the foods that you'd like to eat. You don't have to taste everything on the table. Eat slowly, enjoy your food and savor every bite. It takes almost 20 minutes for your brain to realize you're full.

Alcoholic drinks are empty calories. That is why you should have a plan to minimize its impact on your waist. If you must drink, try to limit it to 2 or 3 days a week. The rest of the week should be alcohol free days. Also, limit regular as well as diet sodas. Drinking lots of water will help flush out toxins from the body. Depriving yourself of holiday treats during the season might lead to overeating later. Treat yourself to small amounts of holiday food. The key word is small. Allowing yourself to eat these foods gives you control over it. It loses its power to tempt when you know it's not forbidden.

It is possible to enjoy Christmas without gaining weight. Now that you have a plan, Christmas won't mean added poundage anymore. Just get active, limit alcohol intake, eat sensibly and drink lots of water. Knowing that you have control over your weight is a great way to welcome the new year ahead.