Sure, we’re surrounded by temptation, like yummy treats, all year long. But, there’s something about the holiday season that increases our urge to dive deep into an abyss of banana pudding, fill up on peach cobbler or say “YAAAS” to just one more helping of grandma’s sweet potato pie. Needless to say, while sweet swaps or avoiding them altogether sounds nice, that may not be your best course of action when trying to stay on course.
In case you didn’t know so, holiday weight gain is real! In fact, according to research from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab as well as scientists in Finland and France, Americans were found to experience weight gain throughout October and November, and peaked 10 days after Christmas. Although the change wasn’t large — about 1.3 pounds during the Christmas to New Year’s season – the extra pounds can take up to five months to lose.
What You Can Do
“Switches are still junk. Fuel yourself throughout the day and go into every situation feeling satisfied and in control,” Adrienne Daly, a lifestyle nutrition coach, tells BlackDoctor.org.
“I encourage my nutrition coaching clients not to save themselves for the party foods and drink, but to eat normally through the day and to meal prep,” added Daly.
By eating meals that are low in carbs and high in veggies and healthy fats, Daly went on to argue that “this keeps down the crave/dive into food and drink head first feelings we all have during the holidays.”