The holiday season is an endless time of temptation, overeating and underexercising. The result - love handles and expanded waistlines! However, that doesn’t mean you can’t dine and wine during holidays. Being smart and choosing your eating options wisely can save you from all those weight-related woes. The trick is to eat right, no matter how tempted you may be, to indulge in the wrong food. After all, you don’t have to agree to Oscar Wilde’s quote “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it”. Rather, you have to plan on your fitness regime and you will be ready to jump into your holiday suit, even after holidays.
It is hard not to gain a few extra layers of fat during the holidays. Parties, social gatherings, shopping and stress can get you running for those junk foods. And even when on a holiday, it is not easy to deprive yourself of treats. Stay in shape by learning to say no to food pushers in the party, resisting temptation and watching out for everything you stuff into your mouth. A few extra minutes on the treadmill won’t hurt either. After all, you definitely will not want to look like a stack of badly piled pancakes! In case you need some more tips onmaintaining weight over the holidays, the lines that follow will prove to be of help.
How To Stay In Shape During Holidays
- Dump all the junk food and switch to vegetables and high-fiber cereals. Apart from being filling, veggies and cereals help in keeping your sugar level steady.
- Skipping a meal to lose those extra kilos is a bad idea! Going hungry is likely to make you crabbier and you are more likely to binge on food the next time you eat.
- Go for smaller, more frequent meals through the day; rather than saving room for one big meal. You will be doing yourself a big favor that way!
- Switch on to something savory, instead of sweet, for your breakfast and snacks. You can try pop tarts, cereals in milk, whole-wheat muffins, poha and upma.
- Always ensure that you get eight-hours of sleep each night! Poor sleeping habits can make you vulnerable to food cravings, especially sweets and foods with high calories.
- Cream might be your favorite ingredient in any dessert. Use fat-free cream instead of the regular cream, so that you will be able to cut down on calories.
- Start on the right diet. Go in for healthier and tastier options, such as sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberries and pumpkins.
- Are you planning a party, but worried about binging? Go in for low calorie dips, dressings and healthy appetizers with fresh fruits, tasty vegetables, yoghurt, whole grains and lean cuts.
- It may sound bizarre, but it’s true - chewing on your food not just makes it taste great, but also fills up your stomach fast. This helps in cutting down on the threat of overeating.
- Never dine when feeling low! Emotions are known to upset the system and you might end up eating too much of the wrong types of food.
- Stay away from alcohol! Alcohol contains no nutritional value and it can meddle with your willpower, leading you to overeat at times. Also, think of the huge calorie count that alcoholic beverages contain! Shift to mocktails and juices instead.
- No matter how busy you are or how lazy you feel, don’t forget to take a 10 min brisk walk or a quick jog every day. You will be surprised at the outcome.