How can you avoid weight gain during the holidays?
The holidays are a time of joy and celebration. There are secret santa parties with friends, dinners with family and sometimes treats with colleagues!
It's practically inevitable that you'll gain some weight during the holidays - especially if you're not careful!
In this blog post we discuss how to prevent weight gain during the holidays so that your hard-earned progress is not wasted!
How do you actually gain weight?
Okay "overeating causes weight gain"... But the point is this - if you control the amount of food you can eat any kind of food you want.
So essentially, if you consistently go way above your daily energy needs, you will gain weight.
You can during this period, but you should remember that only a small percentage of the weight you gain during the holiday season is fat.
You also win:
- Muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbohydrates)
- Water/ Moisture
However, mental check: Don't worry about the few pounds you've gained.
Focus on your long-term habits!
Keep your binge under control.
Yes, that's right – bingeing doesn't necessarily mean you'll gain a lot of unhealthy weight.
Think of the binge as an abundance of energy, which can be used for physical activities that stimulate the body and soul in a good way.
In short - Stay active and train intensively during the holidays, when you eat more.
If you have a very big problem with self-control, the revelry can really get out of hand... After all, after the revelry you have to be able to control the cravings again.
Check out the three extra tips to keep your (f)ee(s)t showers under control
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Eat consistently
The human stomach is made to digest almost anything and everything, but nevertheless the different nutrients are chemically digested in different parts of the digestive system.
For this reason, eating nutrients consistently at every meal can improve satiety, overall digestion and gut health.
Simple: build your feast like this: eat the carbohydrates and vegetables first, then move on to protein and fat sources.
However, if the festive table offers all the nutrients mixed up, fear not! Just chew the food longer, it eases the work of your stomach.
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Eat a lot of proteins and fats
If you want to avoid overeating, you MUST be full and not think about food.
And well, that is only possible with high-quality proteins and fats, mainly from animal sources.
Although animal sources provide proteins and fats that are satiating...these are the most satiating foods you can eat...
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Potatoes!
Yes, if the festive table has potatoes to offer, don't be afraid to combine them with everything else you have on your plate. (proteins/fats)
By combining potatoes, you increase satiety and make it much less likely that you overload yourself with potatoes and end up being overweight.
To wrap it up
Controlling your eating habits during the holidays doesn't have to be difficult and it doesn't have to gain weight.
Stay active, stay mindful, and if you happen to eat more - use that energy!
