Avoid holiday weight gain

They say the average person gains is 7-10 pounds during the holiday season…

LIES! No, seriously, you’ve been lied to, we’ve been lied to. New studies have proven the average holiday weight gain is actually only 1-2 pounds.

Hold on, put the cheesecake down. Just because it isn’t what we thought is was doesn’t mean it’s OK to eat whatever you want.

3 Simple tips to avoid holiday weight gain

Remember that moderation is the key. While the holidays can be stressful for many reasons, you may find the biggest challenge of the holidays is staying on budget and eating healthy. There are lots of temptations out there. Just keep these 3 things in mind and you should do OK with the diet part.

• Have a drink — ONE and ONLY ONE. Alcohol has empty calories and causes you to lower your inhibitions in sooo many ways. You can add calories to calories when drinking. So stick to one drink per event or you can opt to be the designated driver and enjoy sparkling water with fruit or a splash of juice — and you won’t have anything to regret in the morning.
• Pack on the fresh veggies and fruit FIRST. Research shows that a few hours after eating a high-fat meal, blood vessels stiffen and levels of triglycerides (fatty blood substances that contribute to heart attack risk) can soar.
• Pick your battles. I never say no to homemade baked goods. So don’t even try to tempt me with your store bought nonsense. If I’m going to splurge it is going to be on QUALITY, not QUANTITY.

Have a plan, create a values list and stick to it. You may now return to the cheesecake — but only if it’s really worth it.

How do you manage healthy choices when celebrating the holidays?