The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. There are holiday parties, holiday dinners with family and overall, it's holiday treats galore!
It's practically inevitable that you will gain some weight during the holiday season - especially if you're not careful!
In this blog post, we'll discuss how to avoid weight gain during the holidays so that your hard-earned progress doesn't go down the drain!
How Do You Gain Weight, Actually?
Alright, if we try and get down to the core of it all with fundamental analysis, we can conclude that there is a specific reason why you gain weight...
Okay, okay maybe that was a too complex way to say "overeating causes weight gain" ... But the point is this - If you manage the amount of food, you can eat any food type you want.
So essentially, if you consistently go way above your daily needs for maintenance, you will gain weight.
And though that happens, one must remember that just a small percentage of the weight gained during the holidays is fat.
You also gain:
●     Muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbs)
●     Water
●     Food weight
 
So here’s for a mental checkpoint - Don’t stress out for a couple of pounds gained.
Focus on long-term habits!
Let Your Soul Loose
There is a tendency for people to fall so seriously into diets and nutrition plans that their entire perspective on food is warped.
This is exactly when one may be worried about overeating for a couple of days during the holiday.
However, if you give your soul some more food than what your body needs and you are mentally okay with that and don't feel guilt, you can, in fact...
Leverage The Binge!
Yes, that's right - Binging on food doesn't necessarily have to mean gaining a bunch of unhealthy weight.
Think of the binge as an abundance of energy, which can be used for physical activities that will stimulate the body in a good way.
In short - Stay active and train intensely during the holidays, when your food intake is higher.
Here Are 5 More Tips To Control Binging
If you have a really big problem with self-control, holiday binging can truly get out of hand...
And though that is true, there are ways to manage your cravings!
Check out these tips below
●     Eat sequentially
The human stomach was made to digest almost anything and everything, but nevertheless, the different nutrients get chemically digested in different parts of the digestive system.
For this reason, eating your nutrients sequentially in each meal may improve the feeling of satiety, as well as overall digestion and gut health.
Simply - Whatever holiday food you are eating, eat first the carbs and veggies and then move on to protein and fat sources.
If the foods on the table mix all nutrients together, however, fear not! Just chew the food longer, as that will ease the work of your stomach.
●     Eat plenty of protein and fats
If you want to avoid overeating, you NEED to be satiated and not think about food.
And well, that is only possible through quality proteins and fats, mainly from animal sources.
However, though animal sources do provide proteins and fats that are satiating... the most satiating food you can eat is...
●     Potatoes!
Yes, you heard it here first - If the holiday dinner table has potatoes to offer, don't be afraid to combine them with anything else you have on your plate.
In doing so, you will increase satiety and make it far less likely to overeat and gain excess weight as an end result.
To Wrap It Up
Managing your holiday eating habits doesn't have to be difficult, nor do you have to gain excess weight.
Stay active, stay mindful, and if you happen to eat more food - Use that energy!

​Lee

The holidays are a time for celebration. It's also a time to indulge in all of the delicious food and drink that we've been waiting all year long to enjoy!
The holidays can be hard on your waistline, though.
Luckily, a short slip won't ruin everything for years ahead, so in this article, we will tell you exactly how you can get back in shape after the holidays if they took their toll on your body!
But first...

How Can You Prevent Gaining Weight?
​
It is a common belief that gaining weight around the holidays is inevitable...
But really, if you re-frame the whole thing, you may actually reap benefits from all this extra food you're getting.
Read our article "How to avoid weight gain" to get more insight on how to:

1. Prevent weight gain around the holidays
2. Control binging

And well, if that didn't help or it's too late, follow these 5 tips to get back in shape after the holidays!

Post-Holiday Rebound Tips

#1 Calm Down! Holidays have the ability to relax the body and mind so much that we become overly indulged in consumable goods.
Don't let that translate into your day-to-day eating habits, though!
Get back on track with your nutrition and focus on:

1. Animal products
2. Grains and root crops
3. Vegetables
4. Fruits

Eat just enough to feel properly satiated and avoid binging and overeating.

#2 Use That Energy Once you're back on track with a consistent meal plan, you should also consider putting the nutrients from that food to work!
Get more active, lift some weights, run some miles, stretch and mobilize!
Eating good food and spending time in the gym is an investment in your body composition.

#3 Increase Protein & Quality Fat As we mentioned in the previously referenced article, you have to feel satiated in order to avoid overeating and stay on track with your plan.
To be satiated, consider adding quality protein and fats from animal products, or, if you are plant-based, a combination of grains, legumes, and other plant sources of protein.
These are the most satiating nutrients, so don't miss them out!

#4 Focus On The Long Term One of the most important factors is to remember that a little slip during the holidays won't have a big impact on long-term progress if you don't let it.
Swipe away the feeling of guilt from your mind and focus on the important things for your shape and performance - Training well, eating well, and sleeping well.

#5 Stay Disciplined Focusing on the long-term, bigger picture of your physical development, you may come to realize that motivation is usually short-lived.
Especially after the holidays are over, people start setting goals like "new years resolutions".
Those are generally accompanied by a spike of motivation that doesn't really last long.
Instead of seeking motivation to do what you have to do, develop discipline and accept that fitness is about establishing a consistent set of body-nurturing habits.
Take-Home Message When the holidays are over and it’s time to get back on track with your diet.
You can do this by making small changes, like following a meal plan or starting an exercise program.
If you need some help coming up with these plans, we have resources that will guide you through the process of getting into shape after holiday binging.
We also offer nutrition coaching services as well as fitness training for those who want professional guidance from experts in the field.
For more information about what we have to offer contact us at [email protected]k today!