It’s not uncommon for Christmas holidays to be synonymous with a culinary marathon. If you fear gaining weight for Christmas holidays, remember that an entire week of eating poorly doesn’t translate into significant weight gain. Indeed, 1 to 3 pounds may appear on the scale, but there are some tips for avoid weight gain.
Note: Generally speaking, this weight gain is mostly water retention, so don’t panic too much!
Flat stomach tip: hydration
Water does not make you lose weight (important: do not substitute water for food). However, it does contribute to the proper functioning of metabolism. It’s therefore important to stay hydrated to allow the body to properly eliminate accumulated toxins (which are often in excess during holiday meals).
Tips : if you don’t like drinking water, you can try a honey-cinnamon tea, or herbal tea of your choice.
If you’re dehydrated, it’s likely that you’ll feel hungry when, in reality, your body is thirsty. Symptoms of hunger are similar to those of thirst: low energy, fatigue and a dry mouth. If you feel these signals, drink a big glass of water and see if your hunger persists. If so, eat a healthy, balanced snack if it’s not yet mealtime.
Example: cottage cheese + fruits + nuts
Lifestyle tip to avoid weight gain for Christmas
There’s no point in depriving yourself if you’re going to go overboard afterwards.
Eat your daily chocolate (advent calendar), don’t skip meals, indulge in a sweet treat, in short; indulge yourself a bit each day, or almost. Obviously, these small pleasures shouldn’t constitute the majority of your daily diet.
People tend to diet before Christmas. This isn’t a good idea. Sooner or later, restrictions lead to cravings and often to eating disorders. Focus on a balanced diet which includes a few culinary pleasures.
Don’t focus on diet; focus on lifestyle.
Exercise tip to avoid weight gain for Christmas
As the cold weather sets in, it can be difficult to keep up with physical activities, especially those outside, like running. In this case, your equipment will play a key role.
During winter, I recommend continuing your physical activity and even following an exercise program, so you don’t lose your motivation, and you continue to progress. Use the Fitness Coach application to stay in shape this winter!
On days when you have a big meal, suggest going for a post-meal walk with your friends and family. This way, you can increase your caloric expenditure while having an enjoyable time.
What to do before and during a holiday dinner to avoid gaining weight?
One of the classic mistakes is to eat nothing (or almost nothing) during the day in order to treat yourself (too much) in the evening. It’s best to eat normally throughout the day and even have a (healthy and balanced) snack two hours before your meal in order to avoid attacking the crackers (they’re treacherous).
Once at the table, try to balance your plate . Don’t forget a serving of vegetables (they’ll help you feel full faster).
And finally, enjoy yourself. Don’t try to control what happens – enjoy the time with your loved ones! As I told you before, you won’t gain weight over the holiday season. You’ll just have a bit of water retention and, as such, you’ll be bloated. A few days will be plenty for you to get back to your initial weight.
What to do to keep your shape after the holidays
After the generous holiday meals, go back to your usual eating habits, nothing more, nothing less. Avoid diets and opt for a simple rebalancing of your eating. You can help yourself by following the directions on the Nutri Coach application, if need be.
Stay hydrated, remain active, don’t stay up too late and get back into a healthy rhythm for the new year!
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