You know you want to stay healthy and fit over the holiday season, but it can be hard to stick with your diet. With all the sweets and tasty food around, it’s easy to end up gaining weight instead of losing it!
If you’re trying to lose weight over the holidays, fear not! You may think that a month-long break from healthy eating will see you gaining pounds, but you may be surprised to learn that there are easy ways to keep your diet on track. Here are some simple tips for how to stay on track with your diet during this time of year:
Don’t go to a party famished
- Eat a healthy meal before you go to the party.
- Have a light snack before you go to a party if it’s close by and you know there will be food at the event.
- Avoid alcohol at parties, or at least limit your intake of alcoholic beverages to one glass of wine per hour (for women), or two glasses of beer (for men). If possible, avoid drinking alcohol altogether because it makes it harder for your body to burn fat – especially if you drink on an empty stomach!
- If hungry when at a party, eat only healthy foods like nuts and celery sticks with peanut butter so that when hunger strikes again later on in the night, you’ll have something nutritious ready instead of resorting back overindulging with junk food!
Make veggies the star of your dinner
One easy way to cut calories is to make veggies the star of your dinner. Vegetables are low in calories and high in nutrients, making them the perfect addition to any well-balanced diet. Low-calorie vegetables include: broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, green beans, mushrooms (yes!), onions (yes again!), peppers and spinach.
Tomatoes are also good for you but tend to be higher in calories than other types of vegetables because they’re quite rich in water content – so if you want to enjoy their benefits without adding too many extra kilojoules or grams of fat into your diet then try eating them separately from meals rather than adding them on top off something else that’s already been cooked or prepared with lots of oil.
Cut down on meats
As with other foods, there’s a lot of variation in the nutritional quality of meat. For example, lean red meat can be a good source of protein, but it also contains saturated fat and cholesterol. So reducing your intake is a good idea if you’re trying to lose weight.
If you do eat meat, try to make sure that it isn’t the only thing on your plate. It’s better to have half an avocado or some veg than just a piece of chicken breast – not only because this will fill you up more but because it will leave less room for dessert!
Make sure you get enough protein from other sources as well: nuts are great for this (and they tend not to raise blood sugar levels like dairy products often do)
Choose low-calorie snacks
Choosing the right snacks is essential to weight loss success. The right snack can help you feel full, and keep your energy levels balanced throughout the day. What’s more, it’s important to choose healthy snacks that are high in fibre, protein and vitamins and minerals. Here are some examples:
- Fruit – A great source of sugar-free energy. Try eating a whole orange or apple as a snack instead of something packaged with added sugars like chocolate bars or sweets.
- High-fibre crackers – These aren’t just lower in calories than normal crackers; they also contain more fibre than many other snack foods.
Focus on desserts you can share
If you’re worried about splurging on desserts, try to find a way to share with friends and family. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the holidays, it’s that people love sweets! Let your loved ones know that you want to share a sweet treat with them so they don’t feel left out. The more people involved in eating a decadent dessert, the better your chances of keeping things under control.
If sharing isn’t an option for whatever reason (maybe someone has dietary restrictions), then opt for something low-calorie but still delicious—just make sure not to overdo it! One of our favorite ways to indulge is by whipping up some healthy recipes: fruit parfaits or smoothie bowls are both great options because they can be easily shared among many people and contain far fewer calories than most traditional desserts you’ll encounter over Christmas time.
Have a plan for alcohol
Another great way to lose weight over Christmas is to plan ahead for alcohol. We all have those days where we go out and drink too much, and then feel like crap the next day. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Make sure you’re choosing low-calorie drinks—sparkling water or vodka soda are good options—and avoid anything high in sugar. If you’re going out with friends and want to get tipsy, make sure you have a plan for how much you’ll drink (I know it’s not fun, but if you’re trying to lose weight over Christmas it’s important). Drink water in between each glass of wine or beer so that your body gets a break from alcohol absorption into the bloodstream. And if you have a snack before going out (like nuts or olives), this will help prevent hunger pangs later on when everyone is eating their faces off at Christmas parties!
Workout or do physical activity every day.
This is the most important thing to do if you want to lose weight. Exercise not only helps you lose weight, but it also helps you maintain your weight loss. Hit the gym if you have time during the holiday.
Exercise can be a form of meditation and can help you relax. It also helps improve sleep quality and reduce stress levels, both of which are linked to obesity.
Need help in losing weight over Christmas
Weight loss over Christmas can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach and coaching, you can get it done in no time at all. Looking for support to lose weight? Contact Rita Trotter today!