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Avoid Packing on the Pounds this Holiday Season

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cakes and pastriesThe holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving is within a few weeks and Christmas follows. It is a tradition to celebrate the holiday season with food.

Enjoying good food, family and fun is one thing that everyone has in common during the holiday season.

When I worked outside my home, I use to love this time of the year. I loved it because there would be lots of different foods in the office and people would send the office gifts of snacks and holiday treats.

The gifts of little snacks and holiday treats would start rolling a few weeks before Thanksgiving and those holiday treats kept rolling in throughout December. I was a happy camper.

I packed on the most pounds around this time of the year, because there was food all around me. Whenever ever I walked into the room where the food and holiday treats were, I would always grab my share of treats.

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. Because it brings many people together and food is the always the common denominator.

I no longer work outside my home. I sometimes miss being in office, because hey, let’s face it I enjoyed the snacks and those holiday treats.  But if I worked at my previous job right now, I would do a few things differently in the eating department.

If you eat too much food during the holiday season, don’t worry just keep these tips in mind and you will do fine:

  1. Eat like you’ve eaten all year round, the holidays are no exception. Overeating during the holiday season is common, but you do not overeat; eat sensibly.

  2. Control your portion sizes. Be mindful of how much food you consume. Eating more food than usual is easy to do, during the holiday season.

  3. Select the healthier foods. Yes, there are a few healthy dishes. Dinners usually consist of very tasty side vegetables. Stock up on the veggies and eat very little of those foods you know will cause you to pack on the pounds.

  4. Eat only when you are hungry. Just because the tempting snacks and treats are in the lounge doesn’t mean that each time you enter the lounge you go for the snacks.

  5. Put self-control into action. Tell yourself that you will not eat because the food is there. Soon you will notice that you are not eating just to be eating.

  6. Pass on the seconds. Desserts are everywhere and when you taste that sweet potato pie or buttery pound cake, you must have seconds, thirds, etc.  You have almost eaten the entire plate of desserts, yeah you. One serving of dessert is best.

  7. Bring a few healthy dishes. There’s nothing better than having your own food at the family and office gatherings. Make sure you eat some of those dishes you bring to the gathering. By doing so, you won’t feel too guilty when you eat that sweet potato pie.

 Discussion: How do you avoid packing on the pounds during the holiday season?

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hi Evelyn

    Some great tips here … for all times throughout the year; especially during holidays and celebration.

    I don’t tend to eat any more or less whatever day it is as I only eat till I feel satisfied. However I know heaps of people who declare they have eaten too much during the holidays.

    Then they have to work twice as hard to get it off! And was it really worth it? Binge eating and dieting is so NOT a healthy way to go!

    Patricia Perth Australia

    • Hi Patricia,

      That’s great that you don’t eat any more or less during the holidays. Definitely a good practice!

      I totally agree!

      Have a great week!

      Evelyn

  2. It’s also important to get your workouts in regularly during this time. Now, when you’re eating more than usual, it’s crucial to be more active.

  3. I agree that we have to be conscious of the food we eat these holidays…It is needed and we have to be aware of it…

  4. Oh, Evelyn that is a great list of do’s and don’ts (even year round). I have put on 15 pounds in the last couple of years and just can’t get it off. I know I need to exercise more too. But this started right around the time I moved my office into my home. I really think the accessibility of food here is just too much. We need a diet for “At Home Workers!” Love your blog.

  5. Yes the holidays are here, and the other day I stepped onto a scale, which I haven’t done in about a year, I gained 10 pounds. So portion control is going to become my best friend from now on. I think it’s ok to indulge and enjoy the holidays as long as we don’t over eat.

    • Hi Tatianna,

      Wow! I’m sure that extra weight has to be muscle. 😉

      Portion control has to be my best friend too.

      Thanks for chiming in and sharing!

      Evelyn

  6. I like to try all the foods on the table – even the desserts. What I do is only take a very small amount of each thing. For desserts, it will be the tiniest sliver of pie, or if it’s a bar or cake, it may only be a bite or two. This way I feel satisfied but have not overdone it (at least not too much :)).