It's That Time of Year: The Dreaded Holiday Weight Gain
Cutting out Treats Completely May Not be the Best Answer
Christmas is a time when there are more foods around that are generally not part of our nutrition plan. This includes foods with sugar, high calorie foods and alcohol.
The first thing to know as we go into this season is:
- Weight gain is not inherently bad.
- Weight loss is not inherently good.
As human beings we are meant to fluctuate in weight throughout the year.
Secondly, your health is not directly correlated to your weight. When you gain five pounds, it does not typically have a negative impact on your health. It doesn’t usually cause a significant spike in cholesterol, doesn’t increase your blood pressure or give you diabetes. If you were to repeatedly gain five pounds every few months, then that is a different story. With everything going on right now, it is important to give yourself grace, be patient and not hyper-focus on your weight during the Christmas season.
All of that said, most people try to maintain their weight through the holidays for their own needs, wants and desires. This is because weight isn’t only tied to physical health, but also mental health. We like to look and feel a certain way, we like our clothes to fit a certain way and many people have associated themselves with a particular weight (which may or may not be their ideal weight). If you are the type of person that likes to indulge but really does not want to increase weight over the holiday season here are some great tips:
Currently on a Calorie Restricted Diet? Start Increasing Your Calories NOW!
If you are currently in a calorie deficit and then switch to eating significantly more calories one day, you will gain weight. On the other hand if you do something called a reverse diet, where you slowly increase your calories by 75-125 calories a day each for a week each week until the holidays, you will allow your metabolism to speed up and significantly decrease your holiday weight gain.
Pick Three Habits to do Each Day, Even Over the Holidays
This is really important because we tend to get thrown off of our daily routines come the Christmas holidays. You can pick three from the suggestions below:
- Drink 2-3L of water each day (depending on body size)
- Eat veggies with all your meals
- Limit fruit to one piece a day
- Eat protein with every meal
- Have a protein snack every day
- Limit yourself to one dessert a day
- Go for a walk after each dinner
- Chew your food more than you normally would
Whatever you choose, make it attainable on a busy schedule and something that has a positive effect on your health.
Memories Over Macros
Making memories, having fun with your family, and participating in social events is important for your health! If you have been focusing on nutrition, and this focus affects your mood, how you act with family, or adds stress to your life as the holidays approach, it may be time to take a break. By break I mean it can be a day to reset, or it could be a break for the season where you focus on healthy choices but don’t sweat the small stuff.
When creating memories with food that is not part of your normal routine, own it - in other words, enjoy it and be happy. Eating and drinking in excess can also not be bad if you also own the sacrifice or consequences that come with it. For example, we may enjoy the moments eating excessive food and alcohol to the point that it makes us not feel good the next morning. There is nothing wrong with splurging to the point of discomfort if you can also own the discomfort that comes with it.
Cortisol, the stress hormone can impact fat loss. If you are increasing your stress because of your nutrition choices, it can have a negative impact on reaching your goals. You are better off decreasing your food related rules, and enjoying time with friends and family than staying hypervigilant.
Mindful Eating
When eating, check in with yourself. Are you actually hungry? Is this food satisfying your hunger/needs? Do you actually like the dessert? Are you still hungry, or just eating because it is on your plate? Mindful eating can help you improve satisfaction with your food. It can also help decrease your overall food consumption. It is common to just eat dessert because it’s there. When you take the time to ask yourself if you really want it, you may decide you don’t feel like it. And if you do feel like it, or you are still hungry, then go ahead!
Here are some great ways to be more aware of your food and nutritional habits
- Pause before you eat. Take in a few breaths.
- Do not eat in front of screens.
- Chew your food at least 20-30x's before swallowing
Change the Words
Nutrition is a choice. There is no “I can’t”. Unless you are allergic to something, technically you could have it. When we start to take the “I can’t” out of food and change it for things like “I don’t feel like...”, “I am not hungry”, “I don’t want” it gives you the power back over your food. It’s okay to turn down food or a drink, just as much as it is okay to consume that food. What is important is knowing that it is a choice, and the focus should be on listening to your body and not cutting out any one particular food because of the good or bad association you have with it. Remember no food is inherently bad or good, it is just food. It either does a little bit of good for your body, or a lot of good for your body.
The holidays can be very overwhelming but if you make these small changes over the next few weeks, you will enjoy the upcoming season even more.
If nutrition coaching is something you are interested in, now is the time to start. We can help you learn to work with food, not against it this holiday season and continue to work towards your goals in the new year.
