10 ways to avoid gaining weight during the Holidays.

10 ways to avoid gaining weight during the Holidays.

1)Control your own environment. When the party is at your house, try your best to set rules. Suggest you over ride the old traditions with new healthy ones. Stick to your plan even when others make you feel like you "have to have 4 desserts on the table". Or, " you must have green bean casserole instead of steamed green beans low fat Italian dressing drizzled on it ."

2)Research ways to make your Christmas meal as healthy as possible. Make mashed pots with chicken broth or 1% buttermilk instead of whole milk and a stick of butter.

3)Plot out your "bad meals". You know ahead of time when and where you will be going to Christmas parties. For that matter you know from past experience what they will have there to eat. Pick your battles wisely and decide to only eat a few bad meals out of all the parties you will go to. For instance, I have already decided that I will eat bad on the evening of December 13th because I am going to our Italian friends Christmas party and boy do those women bring of the food. I have already planned to partake in their cookies and wonderful Italian foods. I also plan on making Cinnamon rolls and fresh fruit salad on Christmas morning. That's another bad meal ( well, at least the Cinnamon rolls) I just can't sacrifice with my little boys.

4) Make the decision NOW to politely decline any offers to take home left overs. Even if your kids beg you....just say "no". If you are anything like me, you will find a way to take a slither of your child's left over pumpkin pie before you hand it off to him or her.

5)Practice mentally preparing yourself to make only one trip to the food buffet. Mentally go through it over and over in your head. Picture yourself sitting down, slowly eating and visiting, and then not going back a second time. If you are a person that already eats a lot and is know for going back again, and again, then people will take notice of your new habits. They may not say anything, but they will take notice.

6) Try hard to not let you food touch on the plate. Stick to the one starch, one meat, and one (or more)veggie rule when filling your plate. No piling!!!!

7)Drink a large glass of water before you start eating at the party or Christmas gathering. If you are still hungry after, then drink another large glass of water after your meal too.

8)Start your meal by filling your plate with the salad. Lots of people skip the salad altogether during the holidays. Plan on making that the first thing you go for.

9)Add and extra 15 minutes of cardio to your workouts. If you are already doing 30 -45 minutes of cardio then make sure you do between 45-60 minutes of cardio.

10) Weigh yourself twice a week instead of just once per week (only for the holidays). I can gain 3 pounds in one weekend on my mother -in -laws food when I am there. It doesn't take long to gain the weight, but losing it is harder. Reminding yourself of your current weight before you go to a party might prevent you from going back to the dessert table for a second helping.