8 Ways to Keep Off Holiday Weight

Holidays are wonderful time, full of family, friends and food. Oh yes, the food – tasty treats seem to be everywhere at holiday time. Unfortunately, all of this additional snacking soon adds up, leading to bulging waistlines and New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. If you would like to enjoy the holiday season without the unintended weight gain, take a look at these tips for having seasonal fun while keeping your figure intact.

1. Don’t Go to Gatherings on an Empty Stomach

   Before heading to grandma’s house or the office party, remember to eat a nutritious snack or meal. This will reduce your appetite, helping you to avoid fatty and sugary temptations later on.

2. Pick Family and Friends Over Food

   Another way to avoid overeating at holiday events is to remind yourself of why these gatherings occur in the first place; in short, these evens are about friends and family, not food. Spend the bulk of your time chatting up relatives and friends, and pay only passing attention to the surrounding calorie-loaded snacks.

3. Don’t Cram

   Cramming doesn’t work when studying for tests, and it’s no good for your diet either. Instead of binging on unhealthy goodies over a short time period, eat a limited number of snacks a slow and leisurely pace.

4. Ease Up on the Alcohol

   Alcoholic beverages are often high in calories. In addition, drinking too much will likely impair your judgment, making you more susceptible to the allure of holiday snacks.

5. Portion Sizes Matter

   It’s hard for most of us to stop eating a dessert after a few bites. You can partially nullify these indulgent tendencies by limiting your holiday junk food intake to a few small servings as opposed to mammoth helpings.

6. Bring Healthy Snacks to the Party

   What better way to have a viable alternative to fattening treats than to bring your own healthy foods with you? Bring a lunch bag full of fruits, veggies and nuts to help blunt your appetite for less-healthy options.

7. Cut Down on Sample Tastes

   If you’re cooking for a gathering, there’s no problem in taking a sample bite of your work to ensure proper taste. All those sample bites add up, however, so be sure not to take too many of them. Try and limit your tastes to just two bites – one before seasoning, and one afterward.

8. Take a Walk

   This is a low-key exercise that can be performed just about anywhere; simply go for a neighborhood stroll once you return home from the party or family get-together.