Work parties, family cookouts, vacations, and social celebrations…why not indulge a little? While these occasions bring a lot to look forward to, the temptations are everywhere and everything you worked hard for all year is at risk in a few short bouts of indulgence. Remember these simple tips to prevent weight gain and keep it off. By following these tips, you can set yourself up for an easy personal transformation and put less work in to maintain it.
1. Keep Moving!
Don’t skip your workout routine or allow over-indulgence to get the best of you. Walk it off if you have to. Something is better than nothing and blood flow helps keep your metabolism up. Plan your workout routine around planned festivities and reschedule in advance if necessary.
Take a brisk walk while listening to an entire podcast or a show. Find something that will keep you entertained and want to keep moving. Once you get moving, you’ll feel better.
We all know regular exercise is good for metabolism, weight loss, and burning calories for fat loss.
But did you know that muscle actually burns fat at rest?
That means if you increase your muscle mass during your regular workouts throughout the year, by slowing down just a little during the holidays or vacations and keeping your body moving, you’ll hardly skip a beat.
By not working out, your muscle mass depletes over time and decreases your metabolism and ability to burn fat, making it more difficult for you to get back into shape.
2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
Did I mention hydrate? Drink plenty of water and limit your alcohol intake to prevent weight gain. Limit your sugar intake and don’t drink your daily calories.
Hydration becomes more difficult during the winter months and is easy to forget.
Keep a large refillable bottle with you at all times so you don’t have to search for water. Remember to drink it and then refill it.
Hydration makes your skin radiant and reduces signs of aging. It’s also necessary for survival, so it’s win-win.
Did you know that you can actually burn calories by drinking water?! It’s referred to as the thermic effect of water (TEW) and while you won’t lose weight through this process, it contributes to your body’s energy use and metabolism.
Being dehydrated makes it more difficult to lose weight and causes fatigue, which causes decreased energy levels for optimum workouts and motivation.
Water cleanses your body of toxins, maximizing the nutrients you need and eliminating those you don’t, which is perfect for every occasion.
Try eating more fruits and vegetables, which contain a high water content to supplement your hydration while curbing your appetite.
Tip: Set a clock or keep a hydration journal to stay on track of your water intake.
3. Avoid Skipping Meals
Don’t try to prepare for a feast with famine. You may throw off your metabolism or even overeat, defeating the purpose of your intentions.
Instead, eat smaller and more nutritious meals in preparation. Drink extra water to prevent weight gain and to feel more full.
When you skip meals, you are fasting and depriving your body of nutrients.
While some fasting is helpful and encouraged for cell regeneration, it must be balanced appropriately with proper nutrition.
During fasting periods that aren’t balanced properly, your body can target your muscles for energy, negatively affecting your metabolism and ability to lose weight.
Skipping meals also affects your digestion and causes bloating. You may become hangry and irritable.
You might even crave foods you otherwise wouldn’t, like sugary, greasy, or fatty foods. Instead, eat plenty of seeds and nuts, like pumpkin seeds and almonds.
Not only are these foods high in antioxidants and collagen-boosting nutrients, but they will also help you feel full.
They’re a healthy way to limit your intake prior to the feast and prevent weight gain all year.
Tip: Eat plenty of fiber, which will help you feel full longer. Have it for breakfast to help you through the day.
4. Moderation is Key
Avoid overindulgence at dinners and control your portions. Increase your protein intake and limit the carbs, sodium, and sugars to prevent weight gain. Only go back for seconds if you are truly still hungry.
Eating more of a food doesn’t make it taste any better. Enjoy what’s on your plate and try to make it last.
Moderation is essential to practice at all times, but you should be more mindful of it during occasions where food becomes the highlight of a gathering.
Remind yourself of some of the side effects of overeating, such as heartburn, indigestion, shame, guilt, or embarrassment, rapid changes in blood sugar resulting in mood changes and fatigue, and discomfort.
I know, it’s a harsh reality, but it’s the unfortunate truth.
Another side effect of overindulgence is when indigestion occurs during or after the feast as a result of the body’s response to overindulgence after a famine.
Over time, a lack of moderation can increase your likelihood of gaining weight faster after a diet.
By eating in moderation as a routine, your body is not starved and maintains the appropriate levels of nutrients to stabilize your metabolism.
This will prevent weight gain and avoid the need for a diet altogether.
By overeating or starving, you reduce your body’s recognition of hunger and fullness cues.
Your body’s response to famine is to prepare for the next, allowing you to eat as much as possible.
By overeating often, you are less likely to be able to recognize what full is or you learn to believe that full is when you can’t eat any more.
Tip: Take a big drink of water after every two bites. Drink an entire glass of water before and after your meal. This can help you prevent weight gain and feel more full.
5. Focus on Fiber
Load up on the veggies! Fiber is your friend before, during, and after the special event.
Salads are a great fiber supplement to any meal and with the right nutrients, can fend off overindulgence elsewhere.
This also helps prevent weight gain and helps eliminate toxins from the body.
Fiber helps your digestive tract and improves your body’s ability to break down your meals. It can also help reduce the amount of calories and sugars your body absorbs.
Other potential benefits of increasing your fiber intake are long term, such as reduced cholesterol and lower blood pressure.
An increase of fiber intake also requires an increase in water intake, which is also a good thing in order to prevent weight gain.
Tip: To prevent weight gain throughout the year, try almonds, walnuts, or pistachios on your salad. Add sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Experiment with different fruits and toppings to bring out appetizing colors and richness without heavy dressings.
6. Slow Down!
You may be surprised how quickly you feel satisfied when you slow down and enjoy the food.
While enjoying every bite, take a minute to look up and look around. Watch others eat and bring your focus elsewhere.
Avoid treating the plate as a trough. During the meal, focus on how you feel. Try to determine when you are close to being full and don’t eat to the point you are uncomfortable.
You will make it more difficult to prevent weight gain if you eat too fast. Remember to chew each bite about 25-30 times.
This helps break down the food into smaller pieces and helps the salivation process as it is intended to work.
You are already beginning the digestion process at this point, which also helps prevent acid reflux, bloating, and other indigestion issues.
When you eat too fast, you can inhale air too, which causes excess gas and discomfort.
Tip: Take your time eating and enjoy the savory taste of each bite.
7. Limit or Avoid Alcohol
Sip the drink and skip the next. Drink a glass of water between drinks and count the calories of each. This will help you monitor and balance your intake, and prevent weight gain by being more mindful.
Try lower calorie beverages or set a hard limit and stick to it. Do the research in advance on your favorite drinks and you may be surprised with the results.
Do a little prep work to prepare yourself for a gathering, whether you are the host or a guest.
If it’s acceptable to bring a dish or beverage, prepare a healthy yet festive beverage to share with others and you can help them prevent weight gain too.
Tip: Enjoy a non-alcoholic mocktail like a muddled strawberry mint treat in a traditional cocktail glass.
8. Focus on Friends and Family
Enjoy the company and making lasting memories and focus less on the food.
Over-indulgence takes away from the positivity celebrations bring.
By shifting your focus, you celebrate what’s important rather than using food as a crutch or centerpiece and you can prevent weight gain at the same time.
Because food is often the highlight of the gatherings, try to talk more between bites and even discuss the food.
Discuss the recipes, the ingredients, the history of it, experiences with preparing it, or anything that can bring the same attention to the food without eating more of it.
Discuss your journey to prevent weight gain while celebrating and enjoying every last bite mindfully. People will understand and respect your discipline.
Tip: Think of ways to bring your attention elsewhere. Introduce a game or trivia that you can focus on instead of food or alcohol.
