How to Prevent Weight Gain During the Holidays

How many times have you finally found the willpower to start a diet, only to have it become completely undone during the holidays? Not only do you end up gaining back what you've lost, you find another ten pounds has crept in on top of that! As difficult and frustrating as it may seem, it is possible to enjoy the abundant food offerings of the holidays without sacrificing your diet.

1. If you are attending a party as someone else's home, check out the food before you eat anything. Look for foods you like and know are healthy. Try to eat only those foods and don't load up on cream cheese covered hors d'vers. If you plan ahead on what you are going to eat, you can allow yourself a treat by limiting some of the more common food choices. Of course, if the party is at your house, you have control over the menu, and you can even freeze some of the leftovers to be enjoyed later. If the meal is "pot luck", you can bring a healthy choice that you and the other guests can enjoy.

2. Think about portions. If you want to try a lot of different foods, take a small sampling of each. You won't feel left out and you will get to savor all the various offerings of the holiday. Remember to eat slowly. Eating too fast can result in eating too much. Your brain needs time to tell your stomach it's full.

3. Don't attend a holiday dinner or party on an empty stomach. That doesn't mean you need to have a full meal before you leave home. But it means that you have a little something beforehand, that way you won't be as tempted by all that wonderful food at the party. Another good trick is to drink plenty of water. Water helps the digestion and also makes you feel fuller. You might also consider having some hard candy to pop in your mouth while you are waiting to eat. If the food is set up buffet-style, having some hard candy to enjoy can help eliminate the urge to "graze" on the buffet.

4. If alcohol is available, try to avoid it. Drink soda water, plain water or juice. If you feel you must have an alcoholic beverage, consider something like a wine spritzer instead of glass of wine. You could also bring your own sparkling cider or non-alcoholic beer, or ask your host if they would be willing to provide them.

5. A little planning and will-power can go a long way towards keeping your weight loss goals on track during the holidays.

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