15 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

There are two things we truly can't avoid during the holidays... family & food! Now if your family is tough to get along with, I hope for your sake there is good food! And if there isn't good food then you probably won't need this article in the first place haha!

However!!!!!!!! If you are anything like me and eat A LOT of food (& possibly drink a lot) during the holidays, then you need this article (especially if you hate intense workouts!).

A lot of people will try and lose weight before the holidays in preparation for that inevitable holiday weight gain. Other people just say screw it, enjoy the holidays, eat all they want and try losing it after the big hoopla! And then there are the people who monitor before, during and after in order to avoid weight gain.

And I know we have already one major holiday that passed (and it's a bigggg eating holiday haha), but that doesn't mean more festivities aren't heading our way! Well now there are some GREAT tips on how to avoid the holiday weight gain all together!!

1. Eat before drinking & celebrating! - Skipping breakfast/lunch and drinking it instead in order to “save your appetite” probably isn’t the best weight-maintenance tactic.

2. Pick Protein

3. Eat & chew slower than normal - This will trick your brain into thinking you're full a little bit faster!

4. Use smaller plates - It may sound stupid but the smaller plates make the food proportions look more and in turn make you feel more full

5. Snack on veggies!!

6. Bye bye added sugar.... - Stick to sugar that comes in its natural form (fruits, veggies, whole grains) and try small tastes of the desserts you’re truly craving!

7. Wait before seconds - It already takes about 20 minutes or so for the brain to get the message that dinner’s been served

8. Freeze any leftovers - Study have shown that when food is out of sight, it's out of mind!

9. Beware of the booze!!

10. Chew gum

11. Turn off the TV.. - It may seem like an impossible one, but with the TV on we are distracted by how much we are actually eating

12. Drink A LOT of water! - Not only to stay hydrated, but more water you drink, the less hungry you will generally be

13. Set realistic goals! - We all want to be a better us for the new year, however sometimes just being honest with ourselves helps us achieve goals faster than we anticipated

14. Partner Up! - Studies have shown you are more successful when you  buddy up!!

15. De-Stress! - A lot of stress can trigger increased eating, especially for sugary carbohydrates. Try de-stressing (yoga, tea, nap, exercise, meditate, ec.) before reaching for a cookie!

Of course that isn't even close to the full list!!! See the other 16 ways to help you avoid holiday weight loss all together this year!

[VIA: Greatist ]