Festive occasions and celebrations often entail an increased number of family get-togethers, feasts, and parties, which ultimately lead to overindulgence in delicious treats and fatty foods. While it's important to make the most of this time, it's equally important to achieve a balance and successfully control your weight so that you don't struggle with extra weight in the new year. The following four suggestions can help you get through the holiday season without letting your weight get out of hand.
Stay active and engage in physical activities:
Engaging in leisurely pursuits like playing cards or spending hours on the couch is a classic pitfall during the holiday season. Rather than succumbing to this sedentary temptation, create enjoyable activities that include some level of mobility. Plan backyard competitions for your family to play football, frisbee, or badminton. Encourage your loved ones to participate, making it a fun and beneficial opportunity to connect over the holidays. Along with keeping you active, these activities provide you the chance to make enduring memories with your friends and family.
Moreover, think about offering to help with physical labor-intensive duties like setting up decorations or assisting with meal prep. Every little bit of exercise adds up and helps balance out the excess calories you might eat during holiday feasts.
Portion control, not food avoidance:
It's a frequent notion that some meals should be completely avoided throughout the holiday season. But rather than outright avoidance, it's more about moderation and portion management. Giving up your favorite holiday delicacies can result in overeating later. Instead, give yourself permission to indulge in lesser servings of these delicious delicacies.
Give veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains priority when choosing what to put on your meal. You can feel content and full with less calories if you choose one of these nutrient-rich meals. Allow yourself to enjoy a limited amount of delicious foods guilt-free. Just keep in mind that controlling your portion sizes is more important than restricting your diet.
Maintain consistent exercise:
Our everyday schedules, including our fitness habits, are frequently disrupted over the Christmas season. It's simple to completely skip exercises when you have travel plans and a busy schedule. To manage your weight, it's important to stay consistent with your fitness program—even throughout the holiday season.
Instead of completely stopping your routines, modify them to fit your needs. Choose workouts that are 20 to 25 minutes long and high-intensity. Bodyweight exercises, circuit training, and tabata workouts are all great choices for quick and efficient workouts that keep your fitness levels high. Even small bursts of action, like brisk walks, quick bodyweight exercises, or dancing to your favorite Christmas music, can be done throughout the day. Making time in your day for exercise can keep you accountable and prevent you from completely skipping your workouts.
Prioritise hydration:
People frequently forget to drink enough water over the holiday season, especially when alcohol is abundant at gatherings. Alcohol has a diuretic effect, which means it increases urine production and can cause the loss of vital fluids from your body, which can result in dehydration.
Make hydration a priority in an effort to combat this. Make it a point to hydrate yourself throughout the day, especially if you intend to drink alcohol. Alternating between alcohol and water helps keep you hydrated while also limiting your alcohol consumption. To consume fewer calories, take into account selecting beverages with fewer calories or without alcohol.
So, with a balanced approach, controlling your weight during the holiday season is possible. Stay active, take part in physical activities, watch your portions, exercise regularly, and prioritize staying hydrated. By using these suggestions, you may take part in the festivities while managing your weight, giving you the confidence and health you need to ring in the new year. Never forget that moderation and thoughtful decisions are more important than severe deprivation. Take care of your health while enjoying the festivities and cherishing the time spent with loved ones.
(With inputs from IANS)
