Tips to Keep Off the Weekend Weight

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Your weekends will likely be jam-packed with opportunities to eat, drink, and be merry in the next few weeks leading up to the holidays. Yes, it is the most wonderful time of year, but if you’re not careful with your choices, weekend splurges can really add up and wreak havoc on your health and your waistline of course.

However, festive holiday get-togethers might be the perfect excuse to let loose, you possibly don’t want your healthy habits to fall by the wayside all together. It means, no one wants to ring in the new year a few pounds heavier, right?

We have five tips to keep in mind when you’re enjoying yourself during the coming holiday weekends.

Aim to maintain, not lose weight. The holidays are a time to relax and enjoy quality time with family and friends, so putting pressure on yourself to lose weight can potentially stress you out and lead to emotional eating—neither of which will make you feel very festive. Instead of making your goal to lose weight this holiday season, take a more realistic approach and aim to simply maintain your weight. That way, when Friday evening rolls around, you can enjoy yourself, but not overdo it either. You’ll feel much better about yourself when Monday morning arrives.

Choose your calories wisely. The food and drinks at your next holiday gathering will likely include many of your favorites, so making a decision about what to enjoy might be difficult. Instead of wasting your calories on the same-old, same-old, like cheese and crackers or chips and salsa, save them for the best of the season. I’m talking bacon-wrapped dates and sugared gingerbread cookies! You want to make sure your splurges are worth it, so choose your calories wisely.

Eat breakfast and lunch (and maybe dinner too). It might sound a little counter intuitive to eat before a holiday event, but sticking to your normal meal schedule will help you make smarter decisions when it comes to what you eat and drink. During mealtime, be sure to choose foods that are high in protein to keep you satisfied and your blood sugar steady. It’s tough to resist such delicious holiday fare when you’re hungry or experiencing crazy cravings, so be sure to fill up on healthy, high-quality foods before your next holiday soiree.