The holiday season is a time for food, family, and fun. It’s also a time when it’s easy to overindulge in food and drink, causing health problems and weight gain. It is important to remember that the holiday season is not a time to give up on your healthy lifestyle goals. You can still enjoy yourself without gaining weight by following these tips:
Take more protein
Protein is a macronutrient that helps to regulate blood sugar levels, improve the metabolic rate, and regulate appetite. It also helps to build muscle and maintain a healthy weight.
When people increase their protein intake from an average of 54 grams per day to 112 grams per day, they consume fewer calories during the holidays. This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer and breaks down more slowly than carbohydrates or fat, so it can help you avoid overeating during holidays.
Drink more water
When the holiday season comes around, we often find ourselves in situations where we are surrounded by food and drink. We eat a lot more when we are surrounded by food because of the sensory overload that occurs with all the different flavors, textures, and smells.
To avoid overeating during this time, you should drink more water to stay hydrated and keep yourself feeling full. It also helps to avoid other unhealthy behaviors like drinking too much alcohol or skipping meals.
Eat slowly and deliberately
When we eat too quickly, it can cause us to eat more than we should, which leads us into a vicious cycle of binge-eating over the holidays.
One way that you can avoid overeating during the holidays is by eating slowly and deliberately. Eating slowly allows your body time to register satiety signals from your brain and stomach. Eating slowly also gives you time for digestion, which means that you will be less likely to overeat during the holidays.
Plan your meals ahead
During the holidays, it’s common to overindulge in food and drink. We often eat out of boredom or to celebrate with friends and family. But if we plan our meals ahead of time, we can avoid overeating and save money on groceries.
Planning your meals ahead of time is a great way to avoid overeating during the holidays. Make a list of your favorite dishes, what you’ll need for them, and how long it will take you to prepare each dish for each day leading up to the holiday. This way you’ll know what’s on your menu, how much food you’ll need for each meal, and when it will be ready so that there are no surprises at dinner time!
Keep track of what you are eating
Overeating and binge-eating are unfortunate consequences of the abundance of food and lack of self-control in social situations. However, keeping track of what you are eating can help you avoid overeating during the holidays. The key to this is to be mindful and track your food intake daily. It also helps to plan ahead so that there isn’t a rush at the last minute when it comes time for holiday feasts. You can use an app like MyFitnessPal or Lose It! to track your calories and keep tabs on your progress. Even a simple food diary would suffice.
Don’t give in to temptation
The holidays are a time of indulgence and temptation. Many people have found that by not giving in to temptation, they can avoid overeating during the holidays. If you find yourself with an urge to binge on food during the holidays, try these ideas instead:
- Go for a walk (instead of just sitting on your couch)
- Take up yoga or meditation (instead of watching TV)
- Eat small meals throughout the day and make healthy snacks at home
The key is to avoid giving in to the urge for a treat or like watching TV or reading a book. Instead, find something else that will keep you active, like going outside for a walk.