Strategies to Maintain Your Weight this Holiday Season

Many know what it takes to successfully implement the nutrition and exercise strategies to lose weight. It’s a skill and is based on measurable lifestyle changes that target sustainable fat loss. When confronted with the period of Thanksgiving to the New Year, we often deprive ourselves of dietary indulgences or we throw in the towel by allowing ourselves to get out of our routines – most notably, exercise. And then we gain weight. Is this weight gain caused by our dietary choices? Unless you’re going to a holiday buffet on a daily basis I would emphatically vote no. Occasional dietary indulgences are not the reason we gain weight. We at SAC are all here to remind you that exercise is your skill set to maintaining your weight during the holidays!
 

Exercise is the key to weight maintenance.

As you mindfully enjoy holiday foods, push yourself to go an extra 15-30 minutes during your next workout. Look for opportunities to walk more and take the stairs when you can. It all adds up to burning off those extra calories.

For most, delaying weight loss goals to the month of January is more realistic. By allowing yourself to mindfully include the dietary holiday traditions you enjoy you’ll be that much more prepared to transition to weight loss in the New Year (if that is your goal). And, by practicing the skill of weight maintenance over the holidays you’ll be that much more equipped to maintain your weight when you’ve accomplished your weight loss goals.

Enjoy the holidays and remember to be vigilant and double-down on your exercise routine. What a way to combat holiday stress as well!

For more information, please contact our Nutritionist, Kathryn Reed, MS, at kreed@sacdt.com.

Diet & Nutrition

dietary indulgence, exercise, fat loss, holidays, Thanksgiving