As the holidays near, so too do an abundance of pot luck dinners, holiday parties, sweet treats, and much more. Unfortunately for those who wish to continue with their goal of weight loss, the holidays can bring an unwanted pause in progress, or even more frustrating, weight gain. Here are some tips on how to continue successful weight loss over the course of the holiday season.
1. Never Arrive to a Holiday Party Hungry:
Eat a nutritious snack before arriving, to avoid binging and consuming excess calories.
2. Don’t Change Your Habits:
If you’re currently in a caloric deficit, don’t binge on food during the holiday season. Instead, focus on balance and portion control.
3. Move Away from the Table:
Don’t stand around the table as you may be tempted to pick and snack on food.
4. Don’t Focus on the Food:
Get up and socialize with others.
5. Serving Size:
Use portion control and smaller plates to reduce calorie intake. Also, don’t stack food on the plate.
6. Skip seconds:
Eliminate seconds with holiday foods and choose lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables instead.
7. More Protein:
Eat more protein throughout the day as this helps with fullness and satiety.
8. Emphasize Color:
The more fruits and veggies on the plate the merrier. They’re low calorie, nutrient dense foods which should be the emphasis of any meal.
9. Move More:
Continue being physically active to aid weight loss.
10. Limit Sweets:
Avoid binging on sweets, and instead take a three-bite rule with desserts. With a small sample size, you should feel satisfied.
11. Sweeter Option:
Choose peppermint tea when craving a holiday treat.
12. Say No to Alcohol:
Instead of having alcohol choose sparkling water instead.
13. Drink More Water:
Drink more water than juice to reduce sugar intake.
14. Send Off Leftovers:
Send guests with leftovers in Tupperware to avoid eating leftovers.
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Trying to take your game to the next level or simply live a healthier lifestyle and meet your fitness goals? Proper sports nutrition needs to be part of your game plan. Find a Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute location close to you, or schedule an appointment, so you can work with their Sports Dietitians to put together a comprehensive nutrition plan through a myriad of sports nutrition services.