The holidays are a wonderful time of year, but holiday weight gain is a common issue that can be challenging to avoid. With all of the unhealthy snacks, high-calorie meals, alcoholic drinks, and sedentary activities that come along with the holiday season, it makes sense why many people gain weight during this time. That being said, it is possible to avoid gaining weight during the holiday season. If you want to prioritize your health this year and avoid holiday weight gain, just follow these helpful tips!

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1. Stay on Track with Your Meal Schedule

During the holidays, it seems like snacks are around every corner. There are festive treats in the office, at work parties, at family gatherings, and at home. Although it might be tempting to munch on snacks throughout the day, do your best to resist this urge so you can stick to your meal schedule.

2. Eat Healthy, Satisfying Snacks

When you do snack, opt for healthy snacks rather than cookies or other high-calorie treats. Fruits and veggies are healthy, satisfying snacks that will hold you over until your next meal without contributing to holiday weight gain.

3. Try to Reduce Stress

We all know how busy life gets during the holiday season. There’s holiday shopping, gift wrapping, visiting different relatives or hosting family gatherings, and more. Unfortunately, stress can lead to weight gain by increasing the likelihood of overeating and indulging in unhealthy comfort foods. Try to de-stress by meditating, taking a bath, or doing your favorite relaxing activity.

4. Get Plenty of Sleep

Even though life gets busy around the holidays, make sure to get 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night. Not getting enough sleep, or getting poor sleep, can increase stress levels. As we mentioned above, stress increases the chances of gaining weight – and you don’t want that!

5. Stay as Active as Possible

When you get together with family during the holidays, do you all tend to do sedentary activities like chatting, watching TV, and playing board games? These sedentary activities can lead to holiday weight gain, especially when combined with overeating and drinking alcohol. This year, stay active by suggesting that your family play sports together or go for a walk to check out Christmas lights in the neighborhood.

6. Practice Gratitude

Remember to practice gratitude throughout the holiday season and focus on the positives instead of the negatives. Practicing gratitude produces positive feelings and helps keep you balanced, decreasing the chances of emotional eating.

7. Set Goals for Your Health and Wellness

Practice self-love by setting goals for your health and wellness during the holidays – you’re worth it! By prioritizing yourself and sticking to your health goals, you’ll be more likely to avoid holiday weight gain and feel better about yourself.

Do you need some help losing weight or maintaining your current weight? The medical weight loss coaches and doctors at WildBerryMD would be happy to help. For more information, simply call (520) 762-1557 or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from everyone at WildBerryMD!