Holiday Weight Gain - Or Not

Thanksgiving is almost here, signaling the start of the holiday season, and our yearly fear of holiday weight gain.  You can Google “holiday weight gain” and instantly be inundated by tips on how to avoid it.  Whether it’s a recipe for low-calorie gravy, a new way to make a “skinny” cocktail, or the reminder to take a walk after that big turkey dinner, the advice is already out there – I have nothing new to add.  So here’s a link to an article on the Cleveland Clinic website. 

I like this list because it offers solid strategies that should be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle anyway – get moving, add more fruits and veggies to your diet, don’t let people pressure you into eating when you’re already full, allow yourself a small treat instead of feeling deprived, take a healthy dish to a potluck, avoid temptations throughout the day, especially if you know you’ll be socializing later that evening, and make healthier food choices during holiday events.  

I would add one more:  What stories do you tell yourself?  

I don’t need to exercise now – I’ll “catch up” in the new year.

It’s harder to lose the weight than it is to just keep it off in the first place.  Let your workouts carry you into the new year so you have a workout routine and mindset in place rather than making that resolution and never following through.  Exercise has many benefits beyond weight loss.

It’s useless to work out over the holidays.  I have no time to fit in a long workout, so why try? (Or, how can I work out if I’m traveling?)

You don’t need a long workout.  You can find the time – or more likely, claim the time for yourself – to take a 15-minute walk.  There are plenty of intense full-body exercise routines that just take 30 minutes and don't require any equipment.  (Here are some ideas from me.  And here are some more.)   Remember that starting is half the battle.  Besides, exercise helps reduce the stress we all feel during the period of holiday busy-ness.  

Who cares?  Everyone gains weight over the holiday.  I can’t expect to be any different.

Really?  I suggest you raise your expectations.  Find a Jazzercise center, hit a YMCA for group fitness classes, get a temporary gym membership, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions (some will actually come to your house), check out an indoor pool in your area, grab that friend or relative who manages to escape the holidays each year without packing on pounds and find out what she’s doing.  It’s a good bet there are plenty of people around you who don’t gain weight – you can be one of them.  

 Let this post challenge you to have a healthier holiday this year.  Good luck!