5 Tips to Beat the Holiday Bulge

From Halloween to New Year’s, so many people stress about food and weight gain, and quickly lose focus on their goals to get fit.  

As a fitness and nutrition coach, I often hear that it’s best to “wait until after the holidays” to focus on health and fitness goals.  I understand that we have added stressors this time of year, but casting aside your health and fitness goals throughout the holidays means that you’re neglecting to take care of yourself, and during that time, while your stress starts to increase, so does your waistline! 

When you take a “break” from your healthy eating and exercise plan, you only make it harder for yourself to get started again.  This all or nothing mind-set never leads to lasting results, and unfortunately, this is the typical thinking of the perpetual dieter. 

Instead of waiting until after New Year’s to set some healthy resolutions, dodge the diet and exercise pitfalls by taking control of your figure NOW with this healthy holiday eating and fitness plan.  With these clean-eating and practical exercise strategies you can still feast and stay fit! 

Strategy #1: Be Strategic with Your Treats

It seems like we are constantly faced with the temptation to eat sweets because the opportunity to eat unhealthy food is as hard to avoid as holiday traffic!  You go to work, and there are cookies, candy and cakes calling your name when you enter the break room.  You go to the store, and all of the holiday goodies are staring you in the face when you go to the checkout aisle.  And every time you go to a holiday party you have fattening, decadent foods at arms reach.  But the reality is, not every day needs to be a celebration with treats!

You can certainly indulge, but if you want to prevent the bulge you must have a smart strategy.  I’m a big fan of the “90/10 Rule,” and I teach all of my clients to use it regardless of the holidays.  It’s very simple: plan to eat clean 90% of the time and allow yourself to deviate from your clean eating plan 10% of the time. 

Notice I didn’t say “cheat” 10%--I don’t like to use the word cheat because it has a negative connotation; it suggests that you did something wrong, which often triggers feelings of guilt.  In my opinion, this is where many women fail with their clean eating plans because as soon as they eat something “bad” they tell themselves they've “fallen off the bandwagon” and just give up entirely.  This kind of black and white thinking about food only leads to yo-yo dieting. 

Keep it simple; remove the unnecessary pressure and added stress from yourself and allow yourself to indulge in some holiday treats for 10% of your total meals.  And if 10% seems too restrictive, make it 20%--remember, you’re in control. Whatever your strategy, make it one that is realistic for you.  Consistency is the key!   

Strategy #2: Feast Before Festive Events 

If you have a lot of festive events lined up and you know that you’ll go way beyond your 10%, eat a healthy, balanced meal before you go.  Showing up to a holiday party on an empty stomach will definitely send you on a devouring detour. 

I always make sure to eat something before I go to an event when I know there won’t be healthy food options.  And if I’m not sure what foods will be available, I definitely eat something beforehand. 

Even though I’m very dedicated to eating clean, healthy foods like everyone else, when my body is ravenous for food it doesn't care about making a healthy choice it just wants something NOW!  So I make sure that I don’t put myself in situations where I’m so hungry that I’m going to eat anything and everything in sight.  A little planning ahead goes a long way!

Strategy #3:  Host Your Own Holiday Event

If the idea of going to someone else’s holiday event makes you feel anxious because you know you’ll be surrounded with foods that are not part of your typical diet plan, host your own event. 

Shortly after I started eating clean a few years ago, I began hosting Christmas for my family.  It was no longer enjoyable for me to eat the rich foods that my relatives prepared—even though I would only indulge that one day, I found that it would take me several days to a week for my body to completely recover from the “damage” because it was so used to eating clean.  So now, when I host the holiday feast, I create an all-organic meal, with tasty and healthy food options that everyone enjoys.  By having Christmas at my house, I’ve also alleviated the pressure from my mom, who used to host it at her house and do a lot of the cooking, so now everyone benefits! 

If hosting your own holiday event is not practical for you, when you go to someone else’s home, bring a healthy dish.  This is not only a great way to treat your nearest and dearest, but you now have something that you can feel good about eating. 

When I go to festive events, I always bring a healthy dish that I not only like, but I think other people will enjoy too.  For an appetizer I usually bring either chopped organic veggies with a homemade dip or a hearty salad, and for dessert I might bring organic, chocolate covered strawberries or homemade chocolate pudding.  If you’re a member of the Friend Your Body Get Fit Club, this delicious recipe is available in our forum.

Strategy #4:  Eat Proteins and Fats with Alcoholic Beverages

I read an article in a “health” magazine that said to swear off booze entirely for the holidays, but I find that eliminating alcohol entirely can be an added stressor for many people.  With that said, it doesn't mean it’s ok to turn into a lush until New Year’s, so drinking in moderation is key to maintaining a healthy weight and feeling good throughout the holiday season.

Keep in mind that alcoholic beverages are very stressful to your digestive system and many of them are loaded with sugar, so drinking them on an empty stomach will not only lead to a blood sugar crash (hypoglycemia), which ultimately leads to binge eating, but alcoholic beverages can also cause damage to the lining of your stomach.  The best thing to do to prevent hypoglycemia and protect your stomach lining is to eat some healthy, fatty foods like organic cheese, raw nuts or wild salmon with your holiday spirits.

Strategy #5:  Train Smarter, Not Harder

It’s so common for women to “let themselves go” during the holiday season where they overeat and under exercise, and come January, they go balls-to-the-wall in the gym trying to undo all of the holiday “damage.”  Going from one extreme to the next is EXTREMELY stressful to you body and you end up doing more harm than good.

DO NOT stop exercising because it’s the holiday season!  Keep your exercise routine as simple as possible.  Even if you have to exercise a bit less, that’s ok, but don't just stop for the next four weeks. 

Right before I wrote this blog, I took 45 minutes out of my day to go to the gym to exercise.  I had a lot of things to do today (including writing this blog), and I easily could’ve kept working.  The reality is, had I worked through those 45 minutes I took to workout I still wouldn't have finished the tasks I needed to get done, but at least I can say I took some time for myself and I feel great now that I did!  I personally am determined to keep my exercise routine as regular as possible throughout the holiday season.  Are you going to join me in this endeavor?

Please share these tips with your friends and family by clicking the “like” button.

And if you have any holiday survival tips, please post them.  I’d love to hear from you!

To feasting and staying fit,

Melissa Koerner