When it comes to the holidays, most of us are already indulging in a way that can cause some extra weight gain. But there are also other factors that can lead to overeating, like stress and fatigue. Here are some tips on how to beat holiday weight gain and still enjoy the season.
- Treat food as a celebration. Holidays are great opportunities to gather with family and friends — which means lots of food! Don’t deprive yourself of the pleasure of eating or drinking at social events by avoiding anything that might be considered fattening. Instead, plan ahead and make room for special treats in your budget. If you’re preparing a full meal for guests, set aside a small portion for yourself first and eat slowly. This will help you enjoy each bite without overdoing it.
- Keep it simple. It’s tempting to try out new recipes when entertaining, but it’s important to keep things simple so you don’t have too many courses or ingredients to prepare. This will cut down on prep time and make preparing less stressful overall.
- Cut down on alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks tend to be high in calories and fat, and they can also slow down your metabolism after you’ve consumed them. Have one drink per hour and pace yourself on the snacks.
Here’s the deal: The holidays are stressful and if you’re on edge, you’re likely to grab something sugary or fatty to help calm your nerves. And that stuff packs a lot of calories into just a few bites. But if you’re truly trying to avoid holiday weight gain, then you need to slow down.
What causes emotional eating?
Most of us have emotional triggers that lead us to eat when we’re not hungry. Or maybe we eat when we are hungry, but when other emotions kick in, they overwhelm our ability to reason with ourselves and we overeat. Emotional eating can be triggered by stress, anxiety, boredom or frustration. It can also be a response to feeling deprived
