We’re smack in the middle of the good old “Holiday Season,” or as I like to call it, the “Season of Perpetual Parties and Random Baked Goods Showing Up In The Kitchen At Work.”
I actually just made that up. But it’s the time of the year that stresses out many of my nutrition clients. There’s delicious food everywhere, parties every other day, and they’re worried they’re going to lose all of their progress or gain a bunch of weight.
It really doesn’t help that it’s hyped up in the media. You’re going to read about tips to make your meals “healthier,” ingredient swaps for lower-calorie options, and other advice to avoid the “dreaded 5- to 10-pound gain.”
I’m going to let you in on a secret: the emphasis on holiday weight gain is highly exaggerated.
They do this on purpose, you know. These things are actually instilling, or heightening, your fear of gaining this weight. And it isn’t at all the reality.
In the same way it’s not realistic to lose 10 pounds in just a couple of weeks, you won’t gain it, either.
Remember, the scale doesn’t measure only body fat. If the number fluctuates, it’s because of things like water retention, bigger meals (physically more food in your stomach), and high sodium. None of which is fat and all of which is temporary.
What’s worse, the more you hear about how to prevent the supposed weight gain, the more you’re going to stress about it. Because now you’re fooled into thinking that this one meal, or handful of meals over a couple weeks, is going to ruin all of your progress. In turn, you’ll try to restrict or limit yourself before holiday parties, and you might end up overeating or bingeing.
Repeat this cycle until January 1, and now you believe you’ve gained all this fat, and you get sucked into the 30-day “fixes” or “cleanses” or discounted gym memberships.
(See? They do it on purpose. Now they can sell you their program, their “quick fix,” their “magic pill.”)
THE REALITY IS:
If you DO gain fat over the holidays (fat, not water weight), it might be 1 or 2 pounds at most. Not 5, not 10.
And then you can get back on track – going back to your usual routine, not doing anything drastic to work it off quickly.
It’s okay to allow yourself to enjoy holiday foods. Remember, there’s a social aspect too, spending time with friends and family.
And one meal or a handful of meals isn’t going to ruin your progress.
Don’t fall for the “warnings” about avoiding a massive holiday weight gain. It’s highly misrepresented and hyperbolized.
Will your routine get thrown off? Sure. Can you still enjoy yourself and get back on track after? Absolutely.
This all being said, feeling totally out of control and worrying that you’re going to spiral into days or weeks of overeating is a real thing. Maybe you want to enjoy yourself and have all of the delicious foods without going to the extreme of uncomfortable fullness and feeling miserable every other day, and that’s okay.
So how can you find a middle ground?
We tend to get overwhelmed when things are out of our control, or when there are a lot of unknowns, which is common during holidays and parties (what will be served? What should I eat? What’s going to magically appear on the counter at work THIS week?)
It can be massively helpful, and can reduce anxiety, to take control over just one thing. In my Holiday Food Navigation Guide, I refer to this as setting a “guideline” for yourself.
Your guideline can be specific to one party or event – one that works for me is only having one plate per meal. I can fill it up as much as I want, but I don’t go back for more. You could set similar guidelines before each event, such as having dessert but skipping the wine (and maybe vice versa for the next party).
Or, you can set a broader guideline for the whole holiday season.
It could be:
- I will get at least 7,000 steps a day through the end of December.
- I will make sure to add a protein and a vegetable to my plate at every party I attend, in addition to other foods.
- I will complete three strength workouts a week through the end of December.
- I will have one piece of chocolate/baked good/snack per day from the break room at work, rather than snacking on them every time I pass by.
Having something consistent, something you’re going to do no matter what, can help regain a sense of control instead of giving in to feeling overwhelmed and subsequently saying “f*** it” and overeating.
Choose something you can stick to, that doesn’t deprive you, but will make you proud at the end of the month.
Hopefully, this will help to let go of your fear that you’re going to lose all of your progress and gain a ton of fat this month.
It’s okay to enjoy delicious foods and valuable time with family and friends, and it’s also okay to set yourself guidelines so you don’t feel like crap all of the time, if that’s what you’re worried about.
Wishing a happy and healthy party, I mean holiday, season to everyone!
Happy holiday eating!
-Dina
Dina Grimaldi is a triathlon coach, nutrition coach, & personal trainer who helps athletes reach their goals while finding the balance they need to fit training comfortably into their lives; who guides those with nutrition or health goals to cultivate a lifestyle of sustainable habits and a healthy relationship with food; and who supports others through functional strength training and performance to become strong, healthy, and confident individuals throughout their lives.
