How To Easily Gain Weight Over The Holidays
‘Tis the season for indulging and merry-making, of reunions and family gatherings. This is also the only time of the year when almost everyone takes eating right for granted and when weight loss goals are put on hold – without hesitation.
There might be loads of hearty feasts you’ll need to swing by to during the Holidays. Party-hopping and a whole bunch of other Christmas season habits can contribute to packing some unwanted pounds in just a matter of days. You’ll be surprised how big or heavy your belly is come January when you’ve finally gone past the December food frenzy.
There are ways to counter your Holiday belly bulge. Here’s a lowdown on what not to do to easily gain weight over the Holidays.
1. Ditch Your Workout Plan
Running around to shop for gifts or organize a party isn’t enough exercise to burn off what you’ll eventually be eating throughout the whole season. If you’ve already been exercising, continue with your program. But if it’s difficult for you to squeeze in even just 30 minutes of workout time into your hectic day, break up the 30 minutes into 3 10-minute breaks within the day. Use those 3 break times to do some stretches, walk around the block or in the office (take the stairs to go up and down though), and do some office or home workouts.
Try these easy exercises at the office or in your own home.
Remember, any exercise is better than not doing anything at all. Keep your heart pumping and body moving so that you keep your metabolism in check.
2. Party on an Empty Stomach
It’s pretty basic. If you starve yourself in preparation for a feast, you’ll end up wolfing down what your stomach can actually handle. And if you practice this every time you get invited to a party, your stomach will adjust to the amount of food you consume. In other words, your stomach will readily stretch out to accommodate everything you eat. Eventually, you’ll end up eating so much in one sitting because your stomach has increased its capacity. Your stomach can only handle 1 liter of liquid or 2 cups of food.
But you want to be able to eat everything at the party, you say. Then do this:
Tip 1 – Don’t miss a meal on the day of the party. Just so you don’t feel too guilty, eat small frequent meals. Missing meals throughout the day will signal your body to crave for junk food, especially between 4pm and 7pm when hunger pangs are at the highest.
Tip 2 – At the party, get a little of everything, if you really want a taste of everything. But, hey, you might already be eating some party food regularly. Choose your food wisely. Assuming food will be served buffet-style, opt for the ones you don’t get to eat everyday like roast beef or chicken, etc. You’ll be surprised how (food-) satisfied you’ll feel after the party.
Tip 3 – If possible, mingle. Mingling makes you walk around the venue to talk to friends and family, or stand most of the night. Perfect way to help digest the food you just ate, or not be tempted to get more food.
3. Drink all the Alcohol You Want
Let’s face it, most everybody gets drunk during Christmas parties. If you’re one of those who love social drinking, do so wisely. You’ll thank yourself the following morning.
Tip 1 – Start by drinking a glass of water or, maybe, a glass of fruit juice. Then alternate your alcoholic beverages with a glass of water. That way you get to flush out the alcohol easily while you’re still at it.
Tip 2 – Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Eat before you drink. If you don’t you’ll get drunk easily and you’ll end up feeling more nauseated instantly, and more hung-over the following day
Tip 3 – Do you really have to drink alcoholic beverages? 1 gram of alcohol is equivalent to 7 calories. Surely there are other drinks that are more enjoyable. There are non-alcoholic beverages that taste like wine. And anyone can get high on sugar from drinking fresh fruit juices (not that we’re suggesting you indulge in sugar-y drinks). Find non-alcoholic alternatives. A beer-belly is not nice to look at, you know. You’ll feel better about yourself eventually, we promise.
* Here’s what Total DUI has to say about Alcohol’s effects on your body:
From Visually.
Good clean fun is much better than having fun from food – and alcohol-high. Eat and drink wisely. Be mindful of your health. You can have fun, of course, but not at the expense of your weight and well-being. The Holiday season is meant to be enjoyed, yes. Then ‘let food be your medicine’ and not your ticket to obesity and health issues. Then you’ll have many more Christmases and New Years to celebrate, guilt-free.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone!
