Five Ways to Maintain a Healthy Weight During the Holiday Season

Just when you may feel you are keeping your weight under control, the holiday season arrives and food is everywhere.

Whether it’s at the office or holiday parties, the unhealthy food choices seem to be at your fingertips this time of year.

Add in the stress and anxiety that the holidays tends to bring and maintaining your weight loss efforts may seem impossible.

Although it is hard to do, it’s not impossible. Here are some tips to help you maintain your health and fitness through the New Year.

1. Plan ahead. If you are in a consistent exercise routine, do your best to stick to it by planning ahead. Identify the things that are likely going to get in your way and develop a plan to deal with it. That may mean getting up earlier or fitting in a workout during your lunch hour.
2. Indulge in moderation. It’s easy to overdo it at parties during the holidays. Plan out what to eat before you get there, being sparing with sweets and alcohol. You can also offer to bring a low-calorie option and plan on eating that.
3. Find creative ways to increase your activity level. Make getting active a social event by including friends and family. Go for a pre- or post-dinner walk or crank up the music and dance.
4. Stay hydrated. You should drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day or more to make up for the amount of sugar you are likely to consume. Drinking water will also help you feel fuller.
5. Eat smart first. Purposefully eat healthy snacks like fruit and vegetables first so you aren’t as tempted by holiday treats because you’re not as hungry. It’s important to plan what you will eat to balance any holiday indulgences. Grab a salad or something light for lunch if you know that a big holiday feast is coming up later that night.

The common theme in nearly all of the tips above is to plan ahead. When you have a plan, it’s much less overwhelming and difficult to maintain your healthy lifestyle.

South Shore Health offers community exercise classes including yoga, aquatics, and even personal training. See a full listing of offerings in the Community Exercise section of our website.
 

Learn more about Community Exercise Programs at South Shore Health.