12 Tips To Avoid Unwanted Holiday Weight Gain

Permanent Weight Loss: Dr. Barbara L Katz

Are you concerned that you’ll gain weight during this month of holidays?

Have you already bought candy “for the grandkids” – and need to buy more? Do holidays fill you with dread that you won’t control yourself around those special foods you associate with your family traditions?

“Plan to eat small amounts of these and only finish them if they taste delicious.”

Holiday Foods Without Gaining Weight:

Here are some ways to enjoy your favorite holiday foods without gaining weight:

1. Plan Ahead:

Decide ahead of time what holiday foods are your favorites. Plan to eat small amounts of these and only finish them if they taste delicious. Don’t take seconds unless you’re still hungry.

2. Prepare For Your Audience:

If you know you will be around “food pushers,” and you have difficulty saying “No,” practice what you will say ahead of time and visualize yourself eating in a way that will have you feeling proud of yourself the next day.

3. Stop Cleaning Your Plate:

Become comfortable leaving food on your plate or in your bowl. If you’re a “clean plate club member,” practice this at home for several weeks. It’s OK to save uneaten food for another time.

4. Make A List:

Remind yourself why you want to lose weight and put these “whys” on your screen saver or where you can read them often. Practice eating slowly. If you’re eating with others, can you be the last to finish?

5. Make A Drink Plan:

If you tend to drink more alcohol than you would like (and drinking alcohol makes it more likely that you will eat more than you planned), decide ahead of time how much alcohol you want to drink and write down your strategy for how you plan to keep to your “drink plan.”

Some ideas are having a glass of water between each drink, not starting to drink until a specific time, and knowing what you will say when someone urges you to have more alcohol. Also, consider the option of not drinking any alcohol.

6. Pick The Right Clothes:

Wear snug-fitting clothing, which will make you uncomfortable if you overeat.

“Don’t buy your favorite candy if you’re buying candy for others.”

7. Procrastinate:

Consider keeping temptations out of the house until the last minute.

8. Change Your Cooking Methodology:

If you are a “taster” when cooking or baking, put those “tastes” on a plate or in a bowl, and then after you’re done cooking or baking, decide if you want to eat those extra bites of food.

9. Leave Your Favorites At The Store:

Don’t buy your favorite candy if you’re buying candy for others.

10. Limit Your Choices:

Have several favorite foods you will look forward to eating and plan when you will eat them.

11. Make A List Of Non-Food Rewards:

Plan non-food rewards when you want to celebrate or reward yourself.

12. Know Thyself:

If the holidays bring up difficult emotions, plan for what you will do when you experience those emotions.

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About the Author:

Dr. Barbara L Katz is a physician, an Advanced Certified Weight Loss Coach and a Life Coach for women over 50. She is CEO of Dr Barbara L Katz, Coaching and specializes in helping women over 50 to lose their excess weight for the last time without dieting or excessive exercise. She, herself, lost over 40 pounds in her 60s with the help of coaching.

In her free time, she participates in dog obedience, agility, and therapy dog visits to the local children’s hospital with her 2 pugs.

You can find her, as well as subscribe to her weekly posts about weight loss, at: Dr. Barbara L Katz Coaching.

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