5 eating tips to avoid weight gain during the holidays

Many of us experience weight gain during the festive period, but December weight gain is especially inevitable.

Here's how to avoid weight gain during the holidays so that when the festivities end, we don't have any regrets.

1. Say no

Christmas meals in Nigeria [African glitz magazine] African glitz magazine

The festive period means an abundance of delicacies, both local and intercontinental. Though it might be easier said than done, you need to understand that you shouldn't accept everything you're offered. It is okay to say "no" respectfully. You should know when you've had enough and when you need to decline any more offerings.

2. More water, less soda/alcohol

Choose water over soda ece-auto-gen

We tend to binge on the sodas and alcohol during the holidays and this is one way that we gain calories. You need to replace your soda/alcohol with water, drink cups of water before, during and after a meal. This reduces your chances of craving drinks and even gives you a great feeling of satiety and makes you eat less. Have a bottle of water handy and keep drinking it throughout the day.

3. Stay away from sugar and trans fats

Eating tips to avoid weight gain during the holidays [zumi.ng] Zumi.ng

You need to watch your sugar and saturated fats intake. Too much sugar means more calories which leads to weight gain and metabolic dysfunction. Trans fats are common in packaged and processed foods, so it is more advisable to take unsaturated/natural fats and foods low on sugar.

4. Stay active

During the holidays, your routine exercise is probably the last thing on your mind. However, in order to get a way to burn those calories, you need to stay active. Take walks, do chores, help out around the house, play with your siblings, etc.

5 . Have a cheat day or two

Girl eating ice cream [1966 magazine] 1966 Magazine

Yes! Finally, something we can get behind. As easy as it might sound, going along with all these rules when everyone else is letting loose is hard. That's why a cheat day or two is good for you. It also helps reduce your cravings because the longer you long after those goodies, the higher the chance for you to binge. So, keep your cheat days in mind and get it behind you as quickly as possible.