It’s that time of year again. The time of year where family gatherings are full of cheer, the halls are decked with boughs of holly, and your mom keeps complaining about how she needs to make sure she sticks to her new diet.
You know what I’m talking about. You try to focus on having a good time during the holidays but everyone seems to be haunted by thoughts of weight not lost and goals unreached.
I’m here to tell you that Thanksgiving is a day to eat whatever you want. WHATEVER you want. It’s okay, and your goals can still be met. The “weight” you gain from eating lots of yummy food for one day is so minimal, you won’t even notice, and it's probably just water weight anyway. If you’re looking to lose weight, one day of eating whatever you want will not hurt you. Gaining weight happens over time, just like losing weight also takes time. So don’t sweat it.
Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) found that most people only gain a pound over the holidays; however, most people don’t lose that pound after. According to NICHD Director Duane Alexander, M.D., "These findings suggest that developing ways to avoid holiday weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it.”
So what can you do to keep from gaining weight during the holidays? Continue eating healthy for the majority of the time. For holidays like Thanksgiving, try to limit your consumption of holiday food to a day or two. The biggest contributor to gaining a pound or two over Thanksgiving is eating badly the whole week (or the weeks after). So if you plan on continuing to eat those Thanksgiving leftovers for a while, expect it to set you back a bit.
According to Dr. Yanovski, Executive Director of NIDDK's National Task Force on the Treatment and Prevention of Obesity, the difference between those who kept the pound they gained during the holidays, and those who didn’t was staying active and not overeating for an extended period of time (basically the whole period of time between Thanksgiving and New Years).
In light of these findings, plan to make it to the gym when you can, or do 10 minutes of an at home workout if you can’t. Some people are so busy during the holidays that they can’t make it to the gym, and that’s okay. What’s important is to reevaluate your goals and determine what’s sustainable for you. Some people may need to put the weight loss on hold and focus on maintaining the weight they’re at until the holidays are over. Just remember, making fitness and health a priority for you will help you reach your goals faster.
The best thing you can do during the holidays is think about the healthy habits you’re working on, and focus on those instead of how much weight you think you’re going to gain. Planning ahead for the next five to six weeks will lead to succeed. Plan to buy healthy food, meal prep, find time to workout, and send leftovers home with someone else! Enjoy your time with family, and use your planning skills to stay stress free!
Sources
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/holidayweightgain
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