How to Enjoy Holiday Meals Without Gaining Weight

Posted by Julie Alger
Estimated Reading Time 1 minute 32 seconds

If you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid unnecessary weight gain, the holidays can present a challenge. But yes, you can still celebrate a holiday that is focused around food! Just follow these tips to keep your celebrations within reasonable limits.

Focus on time together, rather than the buffet.  Holidays feel like they’re all about the food, but it’s also about spending time with your family. Plan some quality time with your loved ones, such as games or a group hike, that doesn’t revolve around tempting dishes and desserts.

Remember your water. Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it’s worth saying again: It can be easy to confuse thirst and hunger signals. Keep your water bottle nearby and sip on it regularly.

Focus on protein. Protein is filling, and prevents cravings for sugars and carbs. And the good news is that turkey is good for you! Grab a larger helping of turkey so that you can take it easy on the carb-heavy sides like mashed potatoes and stuffing.

Have a little of everything. You’ll feel more satisfied if you go ahead and have a spoonful of everything that looks tempting, rather than labeling certain dishes as “off limits”.

Choose a dessert (but only one). Go ahead and indulge in a small slice of your favorite pie or a reasonable serving of another dessert. Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, after all.

Limit the holiday to one day. One day of moderate festivities won’t totally derail your medical weight loss plan. The problems start when those leftovers turn the holiday into a holi-week. If you’re hosting the celebration, pack up the leftovers and send them home with your guests! Or, simply attend another family member’s festivities so that you can literally walk away from the goodies afterward.

Plan some extra activities. We have some good news for you: Walking around the mall and carrying shopping bags does count as exercise! Or, you might plan an after dinner walk to help work off a heavy meal. Just get out and get active, and you’ll burn off the extra calories you consumed on the big day.