5 Tips to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

Most people gain an average of 1 pound every holiday season. Now, what’s one pound? Doesn’t seem like that big of an issue, but the problem is most do not lose this extra weight. The pounds simply continue to add up year after year. It may take several years before you look at yourself and wonder “what happened?”

To prevent this (or reverse past events!), you must take steps to counteract all the extra calories that go along with the holidays. How? Increase your physical activity these next 4-6 weeks. Extra walks, longer workouts, increased intensity levels.

Adding an extra 120 minutes of activity each week (that’s less than 20 additional minutes/day), will burn an extra ~600 calories/week. That’s an extra 3600 calories burned over six weeks to compensate for the pecan pie, cookies, and alcohol. Of course, 3600 calories only goes so far. You must make wise decisions with the holiday meals, so you’re not consuming 3000-5000 calories in one day

Preventing holiday weight gain does not mean you need to deprive yourself of your favorite holiday foods! Simple recipe substitutions can save you calories without sacrificing the taste you love.

Five Tips for a Healthier Holiday:

1. Applesauce or Plum Puree: Use canned applesauce or plum puree in your holiday cookie, cake and pie recipes as a healthier alternative to replace butter and oils.

2. Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin for more than pumpkin pie. Add canned pumpkin to mashed potatoes in place of heavy cream or butter.

3. Broths: Substitute chicken or beef broth for oil when sauteing meats and vegetables. Choose broth low in sodium for an even healthier choice that’s still full of flavor.

4. Cranberry Sauce: Use cranberry sauce to top your turnkey instead of piling on the gravy.

5. Cocoa: Replace chocolate in baking recipes with 3 tablespoons of cocoa for every 1 ounce of chocolate.

Making healthy recipe substitutions is just one step towards preventing holiday weight gain.

The holidays can be a big hurdle in a weight loss and heart health plan. Holidays don’t mean you can’t enjoy the good food and desserts, but do so wisely!

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