How to Deal with Holiday Weight Gain

When you’re at home, you can control what’s available to you and what’s not. Simply resisting picking up a package of cookies at the store and stocking your fridge with fresh veggies and fruits is easy. Over the holiday season, you likely overindulged at a few gatherings with too many options available, some seemingly there to purposely kick your weight-loss goals to the curb. 

Whether or not you put on a few pounds this past holiday season or just ate an undisclosed number of cookies you’re not proud of, follow these tips for how to get back on track with your weight-loss goals, boost your energy, and feel better! 

Plan Ahead for Workouts

Thinking you’ll get around to workouts after the New Year is a plan that’s set up for disaster! You’ve got to plan ahead in order to get some sweat time in. It’s winter, it’s cold outside, I know. Sign up for a gym membership or do some yoga and weight lifting in your home. It’s easy to plan workouts even if you can’t afford a trainer. The point is to try and get at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping exercise most days of the week. An hour is even better. Try and plan for these workouts, whether it’s on your break, after work, before work, whatever works for you. Just plan for a time that you know you’ll commit to! 

Drink Water

Drinking enough water not only helps you feel full, but it’s also vital to keep your body working properly. Detox your body by drinking of plenty of water post-holidays. Your body is mostly water, so drink up! Remember, alcohol is empty calories and should have been enjoyed sparingly. Limit sodas and fruit juices. Water is even better with some alkalizing lemons or limes in there! Water can ensure you don’t overeat by helping you feel full. The best part? It’s naturally calorie-free.

Keep to an Alkalizing and Anti-Inflammatory Diet

It’s likely you drank too much alcohol, ate too much refined sugar, and were stressed out over the holiday season. What do these three things have in common (besides that they all pair well with binge-watching Netflix)? They all create an acidic environment in your body. This can cause your body to be more susceptible to weight gain as well as other health problems. Stick to an alkaline and anti-inflammatory diet for after the holidays to get back on track with your weight loss. Alkalizing foods include spinach, broccoli, celery, and lemons. Anti-inflammatory foods include lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies, and essential fatty acids.

Remember to Take Care of Yourself

Managing stress is so important for your weight-loss goals. Ensure to take time to take care of yourself post holiday season. Schedule regular exercise in order to relieve stress, burn calories, and feel great. Practice mindfulness so that you aren’t experiencing stress projected into the future or the past. Remember that experiencing stress, especially chronic stress, can lead to overeating. No one is more important than you for the New Year, so take care of yourself! Your body will thank you. 

The holidays can really impact your weight loss goals. “The holidays can be very a difficult time for anyone trying to avoid extra calories. If resisting the cakes or cookies is taxing your will power then go ahead indulge, but do it moderately. Chances are when you see the scale tick upwards your motivation to stay on track will be renewed." (Source: Dr. Jakob Taylor from True Weightloss Solutions) 

In order to undo the damage from the holidays, take care of yourself. This means planning ahead for exercising, hydrating your body, eating right, and staying stress-free. A regular exercise routine can do wonders for stress as well as those extra calories you ate. Happy New Year!