Holiday Health Hacks!
Nolan O'Connor
| 24-02-2025
· Food Team
Holiday weight gain is a common concern for many adults. Seasonal holidays often encourage overeating, sedentary behavior, and consumption of calorie-rich foods.
In fact, between mid-November and mid-January, adults in Western societies gain an average of 1 pound (0.5 kg).
Dear Lykkers! While this may not seem like a lot, most people don’t lose this extra baggage. Therefore, holidays — no matter the time of year — may be one of the biggest contributors to your total annual weight gain.
1. Be Active with Family and Friends
Sedentary activities, such as sitting on the couch watching TV, are common holiday traditions for many families. Inactivity may contribute to weight gain, especially if accompanied by overeating.
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Doing some type of physical activity with your family may prove beneficial for weight control. Even something as simple as a family walk can get your mind off food and allow you to bond with your loved ones.
You can also stay active during the holidays by signing up for a workplace or community fitness event. Races are popular options.
2. Snack Wisely
During the holiday season, unhealthy snacks like cookies and other goodies tend to be available for you to take as you please.
When treats are easy to access, you’re more likely to snack unnecessarily. At home, this problem can be solved by keeping treats out of sight. However, it’s more difficult to avoid in situations that you cannot control, such as at your workplace or a family party.
3. Watch Your Portion Sizes
When the holidays arrive, it can be easy to overload your plate. Those who eat larger portions tend to gain weight more easily than those who don’t.
The best way to overcome this is to control portion sizes or use smaller plates.
To determine an appropriate portion size, read food labels and the recommended serving sizes listed on recipes. If you can’t do either, use your best judgment to fill your plate with a reasonable amount of food.
4. Practice Mindful Eating
People are often in a rush during the holiday season, which frequently leads to multitasking during meals. Studies show that those who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat. This is because they’re unable to pay attention to their body’s fullness signals.
To prevent this, eat mindfully and minimize distractions — including work and electronics.
5. Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep deprivation, which is quite common during the holidays, may cause weight gain. This is because those who do not sleep enough tend to be hungrier, consume more calories, and exercise less.
Sleep restriction may increase your hunger hormone levels, ultimately leading to higher calorie intake. Additionally, inadequate sleep has been linked to lower metabolism. This may be caused by alterations in your circadian rhythm — a biological clock that regulates many of your body functions.
6. Control Your Stress Levels
Keeping up with the demands of the holidays can be stressful. Stressed individuals commonly have high levels of cortisol, a hormone that’s released in response to stress. Chronically high cortisol levels may cause weight gain, as they have been linked to greater food intake.
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7. Keep Meals Balanced with Protein
Holiday meals are typically rich in carbs but low in protein. However, it’s important to include some protein with every meal, as it promotes fullness and may be useful for weight maintenance.
In fact, eating protein with meals may automatically reduce calorie intake by reducing hunger and appetite. Protein is also beneficial for weight control because it increases your metabolism and levels of appetite-reducing hormones.
For these weight-management benefits, you should include at least 1 ounce (25–30 grams) of protein in each meal. Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, and some plant foods like beans and quinoa.
8. Focus on Fiber
Fiber is another important nutrient that induces fullness. Some studies show that increased dietary fiber can reduce total calorie intake, which may help prevent weight gain over the holidays.
9. Cut Back on Taste-Testing
Many people spend a lot of time cooking and baking during the holiday season. Unsurprisingly, this can lead to weight gain because it’s easy to taste-test your dishes. Even small bites of holiday dishes can add up in calories.
10. Bring a Healthy Dish to Share
It can be easy to overeat — or focus on fattening, high-calorie foods — at holiday parties. However, you have control over what you consume. One simple trick is to bring your own healthy dish to share. This way, you can guarantee you’ll have something to eat that aligns with your weight goals.
While staying on top of your weight goals can feel daunting during the holiday season, multiple tips and tricks can help keep you healthy, happy, and weight-conscious during this time of year.
Beyond general diet tips, it’s best to make sure you’re getting plenty of exercise and limiting your intake of holiday treats.