Is weight loss during holidays attainable?

December 16. 2022

We’ve all heard and been frightened by the phrase “holiday weight gain.” But what about “weight loss holidays?” The healthcare professionals from our weight loss clinic in Chicago are here to introduce you to this new term. It is meant to show you how to keep fighting towards a healthy weight and even lose a few pounds throughout the holidays. It sounds crazy, we know, but bear with us. You’ll see that losing weight during this time of the year is within your reach.

Weight loss during holidays. It sounds like an ambitious plan, but not impossible. It merely seems challenging because all everyone talks about during this time is what they’ll do to lose all the holiday weight once December ends. If you want to achieve your ideal weight, even during this special time of the year, the key is to change that thought. Changing your mindset and staying positive will allow you to continue your weight loss journey without blocked roads. Will it take extra work? Yes. Will it be worth it? Of course!

After all your hard work during the year, it’s understandable that losing it all in a couple of weeks doesn’t feel fair. You changed your eating habits, stuck to a low-calorie diet, spent long hours at the gym, and took medical weight loss supplements. But there are ways to continue losing weight during the holidays, and we are here to share them with you.

What causes weight gain during the holidays?

The first rule is: to know your enemy. And delicious holiday foods are not alone on that list. Several factors play a role in helping people increase their calorie intake or forget about their healthy meal plan. Holiday weight gain is a severe issue for those dealing with obesity or being overweight. Understanding what causes a person to throw their diet away will help you stay focused and loyal to your weight loss journey.

The first thing on the list is, of course, the food. Holiday meals are delicious, a tradition for which many wait an entire year. We’re not trying to point our fingers at holiday foods and label them as bad, but typically, they’re not that healthy either – stuffed turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie – all equally tasty and high in carbs. While there are ways to prepare those traditional meals using healthier recipes, that’s usually not the case. And there’s so much food during the holidays’ festivities; calories seem to add up faster than ever. If you’re not the one preparing the meal, then you won’t have a way of knowing how many calories and nutrients each dish has. All this can throw you off balance and decrease your chances of healthy eating. Plus, most of the traditional holiday food can cause constipation. Does constipation cause weight gain? Maybe not directly, but weight gain and constipation are two different processes closely intertwined.

Most people attach emotional memories from their childhood to holiday food. That takes them to associate the holidays with food. Resisting the temptation of cooking treats seems impossible- it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie or Christmas without gingerbread man cookies. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can still enjoy the holidays if you only bake treats that fit into your diet.

Alcohol is another factor that causes weight gain during the holidays. Usually, there’s a lot of drinking involved at holiday parties. Alcoholic drinks, especially cocktails filled with sugars, will show up on the scale once the holidays are over. For people suffering from depression or anxiety, the holidays can be challenging. For others, the festivities preparations cause them a lot of stress. Turning to alcohol to help them deal with it is never a good idea. Finding healthier ways to cope is advised; you can talk with a professional if it all gets a little too much.

Can you achieve weight loss during holidays?

Losing weight during the holidays is possible. It takes a lot of motivation and willpower to stick to a weight loss program on the holidays, but it isn’t mission impossible. While most people only try to avoid holiday weight gain, we encourage you to continue losing that extra body weight.

During the holidays, temptations are everywhere. Christmas sugar cookies, eggnog, fancy and high-calorie meals. How can you escape from it all? It almost seems like the only way is to book a weight loss holiday retreat and not return until January 1st. But there’s no need to do that. You can enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and still manage to lose some weight. And if you need a hand, you can opt for a treatment with Lipo C injections to achieve weight loss during the holidays.

To give you a boost of confidence, we want to share a big myth with you: the myth of holiday weight gain. When the holidays start getting closer, everybody talks about how much weight they usually gain during this time and how they’ll need to find a way to rapid weight loss. The average weight gain during the holidays is 5 pounds. That is a MYTH. Most people only gain 1 pound. This myth has scared enough people already, leading them to believe gaining weight is inevitable. When that happens, most patients throw the towel without even trying to lose weight during the holidays. You should know your chances of weight loss holidays are as high as you decide them to be. Challenging? Yes. But never impossible.

Sticking to the diet vs. returning on January 1st

It’s now getting clear that weight loss during the holidays is possible. You also know most people decide to go bigger during this season and then go back to calorie intake count and smaller plate meals once December is over. We want to share with you why the latter option is not the best.

Giving yourself a free pass during the holidays sounds like a good idea. Maybe you resolved your mind around working extra hard to lose weight and shed those extra pounds after the holidays. And that sounds good, but it could bring many downsides. Firstly, a setback on your weight loss journey always hits, even when planned. After the holidays, you’ll likely feel disappointed for throwing all your hard work away in just a couple of weeks. That feeling can kill your motivation and make it harder to lose weight.

A second reason is you risk losing all the habits you gained since you started the journey. Healthy eating, low-calorie meal plans, and finding the perfect diet and workout routine – all that took time and perseverance. Do you remember how hard it was at the beginning? With time, leading a healthy lifestyle got easier. Maybe you needed to boost your journey with phentermine for weight loss – a short-term supplement – but you got there. You did all the work. You risk falling back into your old unhealthy habits by skipping them during the holidays.

Our professional team advises you take it easy during the holidays; relax and enjoy, but don’t lose sight of your goal.

6 tips to lose weight during the holiday season

If you want to continue pursuing a healthy weight during the holidays, you can take note of these tips and put them to practice this year.

Make a plan

A great way to kick-start your holiday season when trying to lose weight is to have a solid action plan. Think about where you are going to spend each festivity. What do you usually eat during this time? Are those foods allowed in your diet? Which holiday meals usually take you to overeat? Know your basis and brainstorm a plan for those tricky couple of weeks. Include how much weight you aim to lose, what foods to avoid and which meals are allowed. Lastly – don’t forget to plan some time for your workout regimen.

If you feel your motivation is at risk during the holidays, this may be the perfect time to start a new treatment for rapid weight loss. Ozempic for weight loss is one of the most effective and trendiest medications. Beginning with the treatment a short time before the holidays can be a motivational boost not to turn your back on your diet.

Be the host

If you want to feel more in control of what you eat, you can become the host of these festivities. By planning the meals and being in charge of the ingredients to include, you can ensure the food will be healthy – or at least healthier. Surprise your guest with tasty and healthy new traditions. If you can’t host, another option is to use a smaller plate at dinner. This strategy will help you control your portions while your plate remains looking full.

Say goodbye to leftovers

By any chance, don’t accept to take leftovers home with you. You enjoyed a delicious meal at a friend’s or family member’s house and managed to eat rational portions; and that’s great for you! The next step is politely declining leftover offers. If you’re the host, pack the leftovers from the meal and treats and hand them out to your guests. With no more tempting holiday food in the house the next day, you won’t have any issues returning to your regular diet immediately.

Ask for support

It’s perfectly ok to ask for support if you think you’ll need it. We know sticking to a weight loss program during the holidays isn’t a walk in the park. When the challenge scares you, or if you’re afraid to fail, talk with the people you’re spending the festivities with. Tell them about your goal and how you plan to maintain it during the holidays. You can even ask them for encouragement and give Santa a list of your favorite weight loss gifts. And who knows, maybe someone wants to join you; you can then change the narrative together and lose weight instead of gaining it during the holidays.

Stay active

Possibly the most important tip from this list; as you probably already know, exercise is a vital part of any weight loss journey. During this time, you should stick to your workout routine or start one if you don’t exercise. Enhancing your workouts during this time will help you burn the extra calories from the holiday meals and treats. Make sure to leave slots to exercise during these days. Arrange family football games or other fun activities. If you travel for the holidays, go outside and take walks, hikes, go sightseeing, or sign up for local activities that keep you moving. Now more than ever, physical activity is your best friend.

Prioritize your goals

Many people won’t understand why you can’t just leave aside your diet for a few days. Others may be offended because you only had one serving of the meal they prepared or because you declined a high-calorie treat. Politely, let them know it’s nothing personal, just your decision to commit to your weight loss journey this holiday. There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing this goal; you worked incredibly hard to make it this far. You should be proud and continue that exceptional work.

Final thoughts

Weight loss during the holidays sounds scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you keep your head in the game, you’ll be just fine. Try to stick to your diet or calorie limit as much as possible. And when you slip, that’s what powerful exercise routines are for. Combine these tools to navigate the holidays and lose a few pounds on the way. Schedule your appointment with us if you need extra aid during the holiday season. We’re happy to help you achieve your ideal weight loss and share more tips with you.

Author

Nurse Walton

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Chanay received her Practical Nurse licensure and went to work in clinical specialties such as Home Health, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care and Dialysis Centers. Through this work, she realized the importance of diet, nutrition and weight loss among her patients. This led her to open A Better Weigh, Inc. Medical Weight Loss Center in 2009.