• Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
    • My Daily Blog List
  • FOOD
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes and Experiences
    • Appetizers Recipes
    • Dips
    • Salad Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • As seen on Facebook
    • Vegan Recipes
  • FASHION & BEAUTY
    • Fashion with A Labour of LIfe
      • A Labour of Fashion
      • Men’s Fashion
    • BEAUTY & Health
  • CATs,CRAFTS & LIFE
    • Crafts by A Labour of LIfe
    • Decor at A Labour of Life
      • Wreath DIY’s with A Labour of LIfe
    • Tablescapes
      • Fun Napkin Folds to try
    • Product Reviews
    • CATS
    • dogs
  • HOLIDAYS & EVENTS
    • HOLIDAYS with A Labour of Life
      • Valentine’s Day with A Labour of Life
      • st Patrick’s Day
      • Easter at A Labour of Life
      • Thanksgiving with A Labour of Life
      • Halloween with A Labour of Life
      • Christmas at A Labour of Life
      • Superbowl Celebrations
    • Parties Planned by A Labour of Life
    • Events I have Attended
      • Sports Events and Games
      • Music Events
  • travel of A Labour of Life
    • Canada
      • ONTARIO Travel
    • USA Travel
      • Harry Potter Experiences
    • Cruise Advice
    • Mexico Travel
    • Caribbean Travel
  • Contact A Labour of Life
    • About
    • PR Info from A Labour of Life
    • Privacy Policy

A Labour of Life

A Boomers View of Food, Fashion and Fun

Home » Health » 8 Scientifically Proven Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

8 Scientifically Proven Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

12/06/19 | Health, HOLIDAYS with A Labour of Life, Life lived by Me

Sharing is caring!

190 shares
  • Share153
  • Tweet32
  • Yummly
  • Mix.com
avoid holiday weight gain

Last Updated on 2020-10-25 by Linda

It may be the most wonderful time of the year but the holidays can pose a significant risk to your
waistline! A recent study found that people gain an average of 1-2 pounds over the holidays; active
people experience the least weight gain while overweight individuals suffer the most.


The researchers also found that holiday weight-gain is not fully lost over the course of the year. This
cumulative effect every holiday means that people keep piling on the pounds, year after year. On
the bright side, there are several scientifically proven ways to avoid holiday weight gain.

feasting over the holiday

8 Tips to Avoid Weight Gain during the Holidays

Watching your weight during the holidays does not mean that you need to swap your Christmas
turkey for a bowl of salad! There are ways to eat all your favorite foods and enjoy the festivities
without worrying about weight gain. These simple but scientifically-proven methods will help you
stay slim and svelte this Christmas.

 

1. Eat slowly
As kids, our parents constantly reminded us to eat slowly and chew our food well, it seems they
were right on the money. A study on the effects of eating habits on weight gain found that changes
in eating speed can affect BMI, waist circumference, and overall weight.

The study found that people who eat slowly are 42% less likely to be obese and that reducing eating speed can help to prevent weight gain. This means that you don’t have to resist those sinfully delicious Christmas foods, you
just need to slow down and savor each morsel.

wife saver casserole at Christmas

2. Have a hearty breakfast
Don’t skip your breakfast to ‘save space’ for a large lunch as this will leave you ravenous by
lunchtime and you are more likely to overeat. A hearty but healthy breakfast will help you stick to
normal portion sizes throughout the day which will also help to reduce your overall calorie intake.

Some studies indicate that eating high-protein foods such as eggs for breakfast reduces hunger and
decreases an individual’s calorie consumption at lunch.

small plates

3. Use a smaller plate
Christmas dinner is generally a buffet-style meal which means that your plate is barely visible under
that mountain of food! Instead of using a regular 12-inch dinner plate, serve yourself in a 9-inch
plate.

A study found that diners with small plates serve 52% less than diners with large plates and
they also eat 45% less. Eat your meal mindfully so that you are less tempted to go back for seconds.

carnival cheers drink program

4. Choose a tall thin glass
No Christmas celebration is complete without eggnog but a single cup of this delicious creamy drink
amounts to a whopping 250-350 calories. A simple way to reduce your intake is to use tall and
narrow glasses instead of short and squat ones.

Studies show that even experienced bartenders pour approximately 20% more into short glasses as compared to tall ones. Use only slender glasses throughout the season to cut back on your overall calorie intake and prevent Christmas weight gain.

 

5. Switch to reduced fat

Choose reduced fat foods, especially for spreads and salad dressings to reduce your calorie intake.
Choose foods labelled ‘light’ as these contain 1/3 rd fewer calories as compared to their regular
counterparts. For instance, one tablespoon of light mayo contains about 35 calories while the same
quantity of regular mayo contains approximately 100 calories. Similarly, you can use low fat cheese
and milk while preparing your meals and desserts.

 

6. Wait before grabbing seconds
After a meal, it takes approximately 20 minutes for the stretch receptors in your stomach to get
activated and signal to your brain that you are full. If you are still hungry after your first serving, wait
for at least 5-10 minutes before you head for seconds.

This will give your body the time it requires to send satiety signals to your brain and soon you will notice that you feel satisfied and don’t require another helping. According to the experts at What To Expect, this is just one of several tricks to help you feel full faster which will help to prevent weight gain.

tune blanket and sleep

7. Get sufficient sleep
Sleep and hunger may seem unrelated but scientists have found that there is a strong connection
between the two. One study found that insufficient sleep for even a single night can increase the
levels of ghrelin – the hunger hormone, which can lead to overeating. If you are cooking your holiday
meal, schedule your time so that you can wrap up early and get a good night’s sleep.

lined aztec leggings in the snow

8. Exercise in the morning
It’s so warm and toasty under your blankets and the last thing you want to do is get out of your bed
to exercise. The cold weather is one of the most common reasons why people skip their daily
exercise routine in winter. It is better to exercise in the morning as researchers found that women
who work out in the morning move more during the rest of their day and are therefore less likely to
gain weight.

 

Despite your best efforts, you may still put on a little holiday weight but don’t let that get you down.
Instead, increase the length and intensity of your exercise routines and cut back on your intake of
high-calorie foods, especially fried junk food and colas. Make several small healthy changes to your
daily routine to help you reach your goal weight. Happy Holidays!

Other Life Related Posts:

7 Things you are Never to old for

Healthy Options for Breakfast

Time to Downsize

Random Questions

What the Duck

Guardians of the Galaxy

 

You may also love

  • Caramel Chatini for any Holiday
  • Christmas of Gold - Holiday Tablescapes

Comments | 1 comment

« J Crew Plaid Dress and a Trip to Bangor
Hoppy Holidays and a Christmas Tree Hop »

Comments

  1. Amy's Fashion Blog says

    2019-12-06 at 9:59 pm

    Thanks for sharing these tips with us.

    http://www.amysfashionblog.com/blog-home

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

logo
Food Advertisements by

Hello World

linda from a labour of life

Hey! It is nice to meet you!

ABOUT MOI

A Labour of Life is my view of the world from a Boomer’s perspective. Life begins at 50, a time where travel, food, wine and fashion merge together guilt free.
winner graphic
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
logo
Food Advertisements by

Never miss a post

Search by Category

Archives

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Never miss a post

Popular Reads

Christmas Ornament Cocktail Glass

Cranberry Margarita for the Holidays

Halloween Cocktails- The Blood Sucker

Easy Brownie Cheesecake Pie (5 Ingredient)

Skor Bar Squares

logo
Food Advertisements by
 Please note that some of this site’s links are affiliate links, and alabouroflife.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. At NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I will earn a small commission, if you purchase them. Please note that these are products I know/use and recommend to my customers. I recommend them as they are good products.

Copyright © 2023 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316

Copyright · A Labour of Life

  • 153Facebook
  • 32Twitter
  • Pinterest
190 shares