Staying Healthy Over the Holidays

The holidays are a time for celebration, family, and fun but can also be a time for overindulgences that often lead to weight gain. In fact, many of us find it challenging to maintain our healthy habits over the festive season, and research shows average weight gain to be around 1-2lbs at this time of year. Whilst this may sound insignificant, this is a major contributor to annual excess weight gain and can be extremely discouraging for someone who has been working hard to keep the pounds off. It can also make getting back on track more difficult — anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight in the New Year will know how challenging it can be to shed those extra pounds!

Taking small steps towards a healthier holiday, such as staying physically active or donating leftover treats to local shelters, can help you maintain your weight and kick off 2018 feeling fabulous. Fortunately, Isagenix has put together a nutritional survival guide to help to keep you on track whilst still having plenty of festive fun!

Step 1: Have a plan

Depriving yourself of your favourite meals is not the answer — most of us will eventually give into temptation. Coming up with a plan before the festive season can help you to compensate for the indulgent holiday meals. Having a few occasions planned can help remind you that you have a meal to look forward to, giving you the willpower to follow your Isagenix system in the meantime.

One example is making sure you aren’t arriving at a party hungry. We’re likely to consume more food when there’s lots on offer, and in these situations, we tend to choose the higher calorie options. Having a high-protein snack, such as an IsaLean^TM Bar, before heading off to a party can help to stop you overindulging in these higher calorie foods and keep you on track.

Step 2: Enjoy your indulgences

When you choose to indulge in a celebratory meal with friends and family, take the time to enjoy the experience knowing you can get back on track with your Isagenix system the following day. Indulging in a few treats here and there does not mean you have ruined your progress. The people who typically have the most success in transitioning to a healthy lifestyle are the ones who find a balance between enjoying healthy foods along with a few sweet treats from time to time. Just be sure to watch your portions!

Step 3: Get active

Whilst sticking to an exercise regime over Christmas can help to burn off some of the excess calories we’re likely to consume, many of us will be travelling or spending time with loved ones and this may not always be possible. So why not try getting out for a walk, getting the family together for fun activities, or catching up with friends with a round of golf or at an exercise class.

Step 4: Schedule your Cleanse Days

Plan in an Isagenix Cleanse Day* or two around days you know you might indulge. Intermittent fasting for one or two days a week can help to restrict overall calorie intake, which can be an effective way to keep the weight off during the holidays. Encourage family and friends to cleanse with you over the festive season – why not try Mulled Nourish for Life^TM for a festive alternative!

Staying on track during the holidays can be hard for even the healthiest individual, but having a plan that allows a bit of deviation can prevent the risk of overindulging and falling off track. No one wants to spend the new year ‘recovering’ from holiday weight gain, so take a proactive approach this year and help yourself to avoid that annual weight gain!

* A Cleanse Day is a nutritionally supported fast that nourishes and energizes your body’s own detoxification systems. For further Cleanse Day information, visit Isagenix.com

Reference 

Schoeller DA. The effect of holiday weight gain on body weight. Physio Behav 2014;134:66-69