How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Let’s face it, this time of year is the worst possible time to be on a diet. Temptations abound, from turkey to chocolate to delicious appetizers and of course, holiday drinks. So what can you do to avoid the usual weight gain? Here are some tips.

1. Weigh yourself three times a week. If you shun the scale, the pounds will add up. But if you get on it three times a week, you’ll see if the weight gain is starting and you will have incentive to pull back. Weigh yourself at the same time those three days.

2. Kick up your exercise routine. Get to the gym more often in these months, to be sure you’re burning off extra calories you may have eaten and imbibed. Bring out that dusty exercise bike and set it up in front of the TV. Or pull out a DVD exercise routine you haven’t seen in a while. If you exercise in the morning, it helps make you more aware of eating badly in the later part of the day. You don’t want to waste that workout, so you tend not to pig out.

3. Pick and Choose– There are healthier choices out there, like the stuffed tomatoes instead of the cheese-stuffed potatoes. Keep an eye on what’s available, don’t overload your plate, and keep to the lower-calories choices. Don’t go back for seconds, and monitor your hunger level- don’t just eat because it looks good.

4. Have some Dessert- If you say no to dessert ten times, chances are the eleventh time you’ll dig in and have four because you’ve been “so good”. Have just a bite or two of desserts to keep the calories in check.

5. Count Canapes-If the trays of lovely canapes are going around, decide before you reach how many you are going to have, then stick to that number.

6. Less Alcohol-Holiday parties abound with booze, but those empty calories will load you up before you know it. Add low-calorie soda or mineral water to your favorite spirit or wine, and nurse your drink. Be aware if you’re drinking too fast and switch to water or mineral water.

7. Never go to a party hungry- Eat a light dinner before you go to a party, so you won’t be tempted by all the high-calories foods stacked around the room.

8. Socialize! The point of the holidays is to be together with friends and family- so get out there, chat, laugh and have a blast! If you’re talking, you’re not putting anything in your mouth, right?

Melody, MagicKitchen.com blogger who intends to take this to heart!