Blog Header Image

Nick Reyes

   •    

May 5, 2023

6 Simple Hacks to Keep The Holiday Weight Down

It's officially the holiday season and you know what that means: the holiday pounds are coming! It can be hard to stay healthy during this time of year.

We're constantly surrounded by food, sugary drinks, booze and stress.

But it is possible to keep your weight in check during these holidays with a few simple hacks. In this blog post, we will discuss 6 ways to not gain weight over the holiday season.

Overland Park Gym Holiday Weight Gain
Keep the weight down and the belt bucket in place.

1. Eat your vegetables

Vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories, which is exactly what you need to stay healthy, feel full, and avoid overeating.

They are are usually dense in fiber and have high volume, which means they take up a lot of space in your stomach and make you feel fuller.  This will help you avoid eating too much of the holiday treats.

The next time you're at the grocery store, pick up a bag of carrots or celery and make sure to eat them throughout the day. You can also roast vegetables in olive oil for more flavor!

Roasted veggies are definitely worth trying this holiday season!

Try adding green beans or broccoli to holiday meals like Thanksgiving dinner, instead of potatoes or breads.

You can also try having carrots with your Christmas cookies! Your stomach will be full before you know it. (that was a joke - don't do that!)

Overland Park Gym - Booze and Sweet Drinks
Booze and Sweet Drinks will sabotage your weight goals

2. Drink water instead of sugary drinks like sodas, juices, or alcohol

This holiday season, keep in mind that the drinks you choose are just as important for weight gain.

Soda has a lot of sugar in them and fruit juice isn't much better when it comes to nutrition facts.

Drinking one glass of orange juice is like eating an entire oranges' worth of sugar! That's not good at all.  Having a lot of sugar, means they are also very high in calories.

For example, one glass of regular soda contains about 200 calories and the holiday version spiked with some alcohol can contain up to 500 calories!

That one drink contains literally an entire well designed and balanced meal's worth of calories.

3. Don't eat too much at one time

generally speaking it's better to take small portions throughout the day than eating a large meal all at once.

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize that you're full and by this time, it's usually too late.

You've had a few holiday goodies, and we don't want you to go overindulge! Overdoing it on holiday treats will be difficult for you to control food intake throughout the rest of the year.

Overland Park Gym - Exercise to keep the holiday weight off.
Exercise with us to keep the holiday weight off.

4. Exercise

Exercise is not only a great way to burn off some calories, but it also helps suppress hunger as well as make you feel mentally and physically great!

Don't believe me, come into our gym for a free workout or two.  Our EPOC Bootcamp class is a perfect entry level workout that will get your heart beating and a smile on your face!

(If you're a bit more advanced or daring, we'd love to have you try out a CrossFit class too - nothing beats that for efficiency!)

Overland Park Gym - Sleep will help your holiday weight goals.
Sleep will help your holiday weight goals.

5. Sleep!

Sleep is a powerful recovery and mood booster that can't be overlooked when we're discussing weight gain.

People that are sleep deprived tend to eat more because their body is trying to increase energy levels.

Lack of sleep can also lead you to be irritable and less patient, which means holiday season will probably not be the best time for these people!

Instead try getting at least eight hours of quality shut eye so you can power through this holiday season.

And if you're holiday party is keeping you up later than usual, try taking a hot shower or drinking some warm milk before bed!

This will help relax your body and mind so that way you can fall asleep more easily.

6. Stress Management / Attitude

Lastly... the most important one - don't stress out about it!! Try focusing on the positives instead of the negatives, and always remember that this holiday season is about being with your loved ones.

You shouldn't have to stress out about what holiday treats you should eat or not!

We are all human beings so enjoy these special days by eating a little bit more than usual because it's okay!! Just don't overeat and definitely don't go over board.

Recap: Do All This And Visit Us In Our Gym!

So to recap: eat your veggies, drink water instead of sugary beverages, take small portions when eating holiday treats, exercise 30 minutes a day if you can (ahem - in our Overland Park gym!), get at least eight hours sleep every night , and relax about holiday weight gain!



Continue reading

•   REXPERIENCE ALL

KS Athletic Club

HAS TO OFFER  

•   REXPERIENCE ALL

KS Athletic Club

HAS TO OFFER   •

  REXPERIENCE ALL

KS Athletic Club

HAS TO OFFER   •