Mastering Holiday Weight Management: Simple Strategies to Stay on Track

Are you dreading holiday season weight gain? It’s not inevitable! You can easily navigate this festive period if you take time now to build a foundation of sustainable strategies and habits.

Yes, the holiday train has left the station! The period from Halloween through at least Valentine’s Day can feel like a nonstop string of holiday-eating situations. Here are our suggestions for setting yourself up for success before the holiday hustle is in full swing. 

Be Proactive: Have a Plan

Did you ever notice how a one-day holiday can quickly turn into a week-long parade of treats, adult beverages, and food-centric social gatherings? This is why it helps to have a plan in place that allows you to enjoy the season but not undo all your weight loss wins. Here are 3 top pre-season strategies to help you hold your own as the season progresses:

1. Adjust your expectations—the holiday season is meant to be enjoyed, not sacrificed for a few more pounds on the scale. Of course, you can certainly continue to lose weight during this season; it’s also acceptable to focus on maintaining your weight and practicing new habits.
2. Get your calendar organized - the next few months will probably be more packed with work events, family feasts, and celebrations with friends than usual. Write them down on your calendar to help you plan ahead in terms of nourishing yourself well and getting a workout or nice walk-in on the day of the event, if possible. And remember, “the holidays” are only a few days out of the coming months. They aren’t a reason to just write off your healthy habits until the new year.
3. Keep your healthy commitments to yourself (but leave room for flexibility) - totally abandoning your hard-earned healthy habits for the next few months will come back to bite you come January. Instead, keep up your regular physical activity, meal planning, or batch cooking, for example, but allow yourself some modifications if necessary. Habits are built through repetition, so even though you may be doing a 20-minute workout instead of your usual 45 minutes, it’s the act of showing up for yourself in this way that will keep the habit working in your favor. Keep the basic behaviors, but allow a little wiggle room. 

Focus On The Basics 

The holiday season can be a good time to pare back your complicated protocols and instead get back to foundational healthy habits for weight management. 

• Concentrate on portion control - with all the delicious foods around at the holiday time, saying “no” to all of it can make you feel like a Grinch. You don’t have to do that! Instead, practice portion control. First, tune into your hunger and fullness levels before eating, then stop halfway through your meal to tune in again and see how hungry or full you are feeling. You might be surprised to realize that you already feel satisfied and don’t need to keep eating. (And by the way, keeping portions in check can also help minimize holiday heartburn.) If you are still hungry, eat a bit more and then stop and check in again. Your body communicates with you, but you have to listen and pay attention. I practice a “3 bite technique for sweet treats and desserts.” I can have whatever looks best to me, but I only eat 3 bites of it. Honestly, those first three bites are the best tasting anyhow! And I remind myself that I’m not eating dessert to fill myself up, but just to have a delicious taste experience.
• Nurture your nourishment with nutrient-rich, balanced meals - most meals that we eat during the holiday season are not holiday feasts. So it’s important to remember that you want to build a balanced plate (or bowl) for most meals you'll be eating. That goes for whether you are eating plant-based or not, dealing with GERD, IBS, or any other digestive-related condition. Aim to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with a protein source, and a quarter with a whole grain or starchy carbohydrate. This combination delivers appropriate amounts of nutrients to keep you fueled and healthy. Your regular food can be simple—save the fancy stuff for the actual holiday meals, and your body will thank you.
• Prioritize moving your body daily - this isn’t just about burning calories (although that doesn’t hurt), it’s about maintaining physical wellness and feeling good. Moving daily might look a little different during the hectic holiday season, but keeping this commitment to yourself will help you handle stress, help maintain strength and flexibility, and keep that healthy habit neural pathway you created in working order for you. Find opportunities to move that appeal to you and don’t feel like punishment. I switch things up in December by exercising along with special holiday-themed workouts on YouTube during December, they’re fun and festive. 

Smart Food Swaps For Holiday Feasts

Swapping out cherished family favorites for “healthified” versions isn’t usually a great idea.  Nobody wants to miss out on Grandma’s special pie or potatoes. However, you can play around pretty easily with the other foods on the menu. FoodGuides has lots of holiday-related recipe suggestions (including swaps for dairy free, Low FODMAP and GERD-friendly festive foods), but for me, one area where I put my effort to work for those watching their weight are appetizers. 

Appetizers are an easy place to work in more healthful options, and let’s be honest, most parties or holiday feasts are a bit light on vegetables, so I try to emphasize produce. My best appetizer advice: skip the little wieners in BBQ sauce and instead create an amazing grazing platter packed with gorgeous fruit, veggies, a healthy yogurt-based dip, hummus, some olives and some whole-grain crackers. Don’t forget the seasonal touches like fresh rosemary branches, a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries to fill in the gaps on your platter or board. How it looks matters a lot, so put some effort into making it look as good as you can (Pinterest can give you some great inspiration).

When it comes to managing your weight during the holiday season, it’s not just about what you’re eating, it’s about how you’re eating. Keeping portions in check, maintaining the healthy habits you’ve been working on, and staying flexible with your routines can help you sail through the season in good spirits without sacrificing your weight loss progress. Wishing you happy, healthy holidays!

1. _{Olson, K., Coffino, J. A., Thomas, J. G., & Wing, R. R. (2020). Strategies to manage weight during the holiday season among US adults: A descriptive study from the National Weight Control Registry. Obesity science & practice, 7(2), 232–238. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.470} 
2. _{Start simple with myplate. MyPlate. (n.d.). https://www.myplate.gov/tip-sheet/start-simple-myplate}