6 Steps to Surviving Holiday Weight Gain

This is a guest post by Janna LaRocco, a second year grad student at The University of Texas at Austin in Mechanical Engineering with a background in health and nutrition. You can contact her at j.larocco AT mail.utexas.edu

Once again that magical time of year has arrived—the holidays!  Aside from Spring Break, this is probably one of the most celebrated occasions for college students.  The holidays are all about returning home, taking much-needed breaks from school, and enjoying time with loved ones.  Unfortunately, during this time of year we find ourselves facing temptations left and right.  Whether it’s your mom’s famous Christmas cookies, or the green bean casserole you’ve had every year at Thanksgiving dinner for as long as you can remember, it’s not easy keeping up the healthy habits you’ve worked hard to form while at school.  Here’s a list of helpful tips to stay focused and fit during this food-focused season:

It’s ok to say no. Ok, I’ll be the first one to admit it—if I’ve invested time in the kitchen preparing a culinary creation, my biggest satisfaction comes from sharing it with others.  But this is normal and to be expected.  When a person offers food to you it’s not because they’re trying to sabotage your healthy lifestyle.  It’s because they worked hard and want you to enjoy the outcome.

Plan ahead.  It probably seems redundant because I’ve stressed the importance of planning in all my articles.  But I really can’t emphasize this enough and it’s worth bringing up here too.  Planning is essential to living a healthy lifestyle and it’s even more important during the holidays.  Try to figure out as much information ahead of time before you attend any meal or party so you can decide what temptations you’ll be faced with.  Find out who’s catering your holiday Christmas party and check out their menu online before you go.  Go grocery shop for the big Thanksgiving meal with your mom so you have an accurate idea of what’s going to be on the menu.  You can even set your own goals ahead of time (such as not allowing yourself any second helpings).

Every calorie counts. It’s ok to save a few calories or grams of fat when you get a chance, even if it’s only a few.  Cutting calories doesn’t mean you need to find a way to throw in as many processed ingredients into your favorite chocolate cream pie until it’s 100% fat free and equivalent in calories to a baby carrot.  It does mean that you can use 2% milk instead of heavy cream, or Splenda 50/50 blend (half Splenda mixed with half real sugar), or simply foregoing the whipped cream.  Cutting just a few calories in your desserts and main course can add up to a huge savings in the end so don’t underestimate minor recipe tweaks.

Don’t let your workout routines slip. It’s easy to get lazy when we’re home visiting family or overstressed due to finals and last minute gift shopping.  Keep a few things in mind when you start making excuses for skipping your regularly scheduled workouts.  Even if you’re extra busy and have less time to devote to working out, that doesn’t mean you have to stop going completely.  For instance, if you usually do cardio for 45 minutes, cut it down to 30 (or whatever you have time for).  It’s better to decrease the time spent during your workout than the frequency.  It will be much more difficult to restart the habit completely after being dropped.  If you’re home visiting family and don’t have access to a gym then look around.  Some community centers will let you pay per session which makes it easy to go as you please.  When I visited my family for a couple weeks last year I was able to purchase a month membership at my family’s gym– so check out your options!  Even try looking up local running and biking trails in your hometown and take advantage of them.

Don’t let yourself feel deprived. If you only get your mom’s famous lemon cake once a year then let yourself have it and enjoy it!  Remember to keep your portions small and enjoy desserts and unhealthy foods in moderation.  If it’s a food or tradition you look forward to and only have on special occasions then there is no reason you should deny yourself.  If you make your meals too restrictive then there’s a really high risk you’ll take a midnight trip to the kitchen and polish off too many leftovers.  You should finish your meal and feel satisfied– not at all hungry, not too full, and not a bit deprived.

Do your part. Often during the holidays we’re asked to bring something to a party or meal.  Even if you’re not asked to do so, offer anyway!  Bringing your own food gives you more control (even if it’s not much, it still counts!) over what’s being served.  And just because you bring something you “lightened up”, it doesn’t mean you need to broadcast it.  You don’t need to loudly declare that your cheesecake is fat free– just let everybody enjoy it and if they ask, then tell them.  It’s a great way to add some variety and if your healthy options are limited, then at least you know your own contribution is safe to indulge in.

Remember that the holidays should be fun– not stressful. Focus more on cherishing your time with loved ones than worrying about every calorie consumed.  Relax and enjoy this wonderful time while staying on track and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.