Currently we are in the middle of the holiday season, Christmas is just around the corner. The whole family gets together. Everyone has to wear those un-comfortable Christmas sweaters, nit by Granma. Although these social occasions are meant for the family, for many they are often a time for an over indulgence of food. There is just now was to say not Granma’s sweet pecan pie –I mean you are wearing the sweater at least get a reward from it. Sadly many Americans come back from the holidays 10-20 pounds heavier. The key to surviving the holidays without gaining the extra 10-20 pounds is self-control; in the end it’s all about planning.

Now, the best way to not gain weight is to eat in moderation during family meals, yet sometimes the food is just to good to say no. If you are one of those people who kno
w they want to eat a lot at family meals the best thing for you is to plan your meals around the big family meal. If you know the meal is at 7pm that means the day before a light din
ner and a light breakfast the day of would be ideal. After that not eating anything the whole day is your best option. This works because the human body needs a certain amount of calories a day to function, if one has all the calories at the end of the day, that heavy meal can be averaged with the light breakfast and non-existing lunch.

      While this micro-cycle of fasting may seem simple it is very difficult to complete.  There are two tricks to help. One is Drink a lot of water, it will help curb the appetite, yet not count for any of the caloric intake of the day. Second, have a lot of spices and different flavors, it will make the body feel full sooner than having food with less spices.

Another good idea to survive the holidays is workout in the cold. For many the holidays are spent cuddled up next to the fireplace, while outside it is freezing cold. Of course be careful not to get sick, but working out in the cold is very beneficial for burning a lot of calories because the body will expend more calories to stay warm, as opposed to the hot weather when the body needs to burn calories to stay cool.

      Holidays can be a time of extreme weight gain. It is important to stay healthy during this time. Eating less before moments of indulgence and working out in the cold can help the body not gain too much weight during the holiday season. All this advice is great for the holidays, in the end don’t forget the holidays are a time to relax and eat more food than usual, just in moderation.