Unwanted holiday weight gain! This is what makes the holiday season a bit challenging for weight-watchers. What with all the tempting choices lurking around every corner you turn; which ultimately adds up to your midsection by the time the New Year rolls in.

If you are a weight-watcher like yours truly, help is at hand. And it comes in the form of lovely Jennifer Chalouhi, the brand ambassador of TIMA Love Life, personal trainer and a mother of 3. She has been very thoughtful and kind enough to share with us some top healthy tips on how we can avoid the unwanted holiday weight gain. After you are done reading, you will be able to avoid all those endless temptations as well as that unwanted holiday weight gain.

Just to clue you in, TIMA Love Life is a Saudi sportswear brand made in Brazil with the mission to spread a healthy and positive lifestyle. The brand also celebrates the wonderful blessing and gift of being a woman.

Top Tips on How to Avoid the Unwanted Holiday Weight Gain

Get Plenty of Rest and Sleep

The number one culprit during the holidays is staying up late and not getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep nightly. When your body is depleted and running low on energy, your muscles lack recovery and the first thing most people crave is food. Making the right choices for a nutritious and healthy food is extremely difficult. This happens especially when we are tired; and sleep is your best weapon against this.

Eat Every 3 to 4 Hours

If you think skipping meals and saving yourself for the one big meal at that holiday party will help you avoid the unwanted holiday weight gain, you are wrong. This is because it will actually do the opposite. It may result in you overloading on unnecessary calories and might put you in a ‘food coma’. This means you will end up feeling bloated from having over eaten. It is also best to keep your insulin levels stable and eat every 3 to 4 hours. Start with healthy breakfast options such as a fruit smoothie, oatmeal topped with fruits or scrambled eggs with toast. The best snacks in-between your meals would also include a handful of almonds, an apple, veggie stick or a 1/2 cup of yogurt.

Never Arrive to a Party Hungry

Come 6pm you’re probably thinking that with dinner being at 8pm you’ll be fine to wait. Think again. The last thing you want is to arrive to a holiday party super hungry. First, make sure you’ve been drinking plenty of water during the day. Have a light snack before arriving to your lunch or dinner engagement. Finally, aim to staynear the veggies rather than cave into chips or snacks with high calories.

Watch your Portions

It’s always about portion control when it comes to avoiding unwanted holiday weight gain. If you are arriving to a buffet style lunch or dinner, aim to fill your plate once with everything you want. Eat slowly and stick to that portion rather than going for a second round. This also goes for dessert. Moderation is key. Just in case you are eyeing that one dessert you can’t wait to dig into, stick to that one dessert and enjoy it!

“If you’re going to commit the crime, make sure you do the time”

If you know your holiday plans ahead of time make sure to get that extra bit of cardio in or choose a workout that you enjoy and stick to it. Putting exercise on the back burner during the holidays is something most people actually do (me included). When people are on holiday they usually let go, but added calories will creep in if you keep eating fatty foods. Especially if you are inactive most of the time.

Our bodies need to constantly move in order to burn any extra calories we may be consuming during the holidays. Let’s be real, the holidays are a time to celebrate and enjoy being with loved ones. And what better way to celebrate than with food. But you don’t have to allow food to set you back 5 or 10 kilos. Beat that unwanted holiday weight gain by including a daily workout plan. It can be jogging, yoga, zumba, a workout from home or running around after your kids. Just make sure to keep moving.

After all is said and done, make sure you enjoy the festive season.

xoxo