Holiday Weight Loss Tips

It's that time of the year again where some Americans undo 11 months of waist-busting exercise in a few weeks. For many others, there is little doubt the holiday season comes with an extra ten or twenty pounds. Here are some tried-and-true tips for keeping weight off during the holiday season. Just in case you have forgotten since last year. ;-)

Choose Your Battles

Rather than spend the entire holiday season waging constant war between your brain and your belly, why not choose two or three Truce Days ahead of time. On these Truce Days, allow yourself to indulge in whichever foods you like. If your social calendar is rather packed, this will also allow you an excuse to get out of eating that one thing at that work party your spouse drags you to every year!

Keep A Regular Schedule

The body burns more calories when it is regularly fed. Skipping meals sends a signal to the body to slow down, and this is exactly opposite what will work for weight loss. Resist the urge to skip meals, and resolve to yourself that you won't buy into the idea of "saving calories for later" this holiday season. Fitness and nutrition experts concur that skipping meals is a bad approach to weight loss. Trust us.

Make Exercise Dates

Chances are some of your friends and family are skipping their regular workouts in order to spend time with you, too. Why not kill two birds with one stone and visit with them at the gym or yoga studio? Just make sure you don't use it as an excuse to get a peppermint mocha on the way back home.

Right-Size Your Cooking

Nobody wants to seem like a Scrooge when it comes to holiday meals. Yet the biggest reason people put on weight during the holidays is because there is simply too much food to go around. Rather than proudly bringing home the biggest bird imaginable, why not pride yourself in being able to pick the perfect size? (Here is a tip: An average serving of meat is six to eight ounces.)

Right-Size Your Plate

When it comes to holiday meals, small plates go a long way. It seems almost too simple, but if you choose a smaller plate you will eat less food. Even with refills. Period. End of story.

Pick The Protein

Foods that are high in protein will cause you to feel fuller faster. (That is a surprise holiday tongue-twister just for you!) This tip isn't just for carnivores. Good vegetarian sources of protein include eggs and dairy. Vegan snackers will want to keep the bean dip and nut bowl handy. But then again, any fresh vegetable is always a good snacking option.

Ditch The Drinks

Liquid calories are the Grinches of any weight-loss program. Well, they are probably more tasty than the Grinch, but still will wreak havoc on your weight loss plans. And where alcoholic drinks are concerned, you can ditch the Grinch and help keep the roads safer to boot!

Don't Talk With Your Mouth Full

Always solid advice. If you can remember to do this while properly chewing your food before swallowing, consider it a few pounds shaved this holiday season. It can also help give you time to have second thoughts about that thing you were just going to blurt out at the dinner table. ;-)

Just Say No

You have been putting off learning this indispensable skill long enough! This is your big chance. Here is a list of "No" in many languages. Surely one of these will confuse great-grandma long enough for you to get away.

Start Something New

While the holiday season is a time for traditions, traditions do change with time. Why not start a new tradition? Take a holiday morning walk with your loved ones. Offer a new healthier option for some of the classic recipes. For example, you could throw in a celery root or parsnips in with the mashed potatoes and chances are nobody would notice. The options are limitless! Here is a list of great recipe sites for reference.

But above all, use this time to embody the spirit of Peace, Love, and Joy and to share it with others. This will keep your pleasure receptors firing nicely without that second piece of pie! Happy Holidays!

Dr. Matthew Marturano offers naturopathic medicine for holistic health and wellness. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Association of Naturopathic Physicians and is the Director of Strategic Development for Orchid Holistic Search.