Maintaining Your Weight Loss Wins Over the Holidays

The holidays are full of joy, celebration, and — of course —  plenty of delicious treats. For most of us, the holidays are also exceptionally busy, making it challenging to balance our obligations with a healthy eating plan that supports our weight-management goals. 

Joseph Moleski, DO, and Laura Howard, FNP, understand how difficult it can be to lose unwanted pounds — and how frustrating it can be when those pounds creep back in. In this post, they offer some simple tips to help patients at STL Medical Weight Loss maintain their weight-loss achievements without missing out on all the holiday fun.

1. Be proactive about stress

Holiday activities can bring a lot of joy — and often, a lot of stress, too. For many of us, extra stress results in unhealthy eating habits, like excess snacking, overeating, or turning to high-calorie "comfort foods.” 

You can help short-circuit these stress reactions by practicing stress-management activities, like breathing exercises or yoga. Be selective about your obligations and feel free to say “no” to those that don’t mean as much to you. Keep healthy, ready-to-go snacks on hand so when stress does strike, you won’t be so likely to grab high-calorie options.

2. Make smart food choices

Food is the focus of many holiday activities, but a little smart planning can help you stay in control and on track with your eating plan. Before going out to eat, check the menu online to decide on your meal before heading out. Maybe select a backup option, too, just in case your first choice isn’t available.

If you’re faced with a buffet (and seemingly endless ways to sabotage your weight loss wins), look for lean proteins and fiber-rich foods, like vegetables and hummus, first. Then sample small portions of other favorites. Use an appetizer plate to cut back on portion sizes automatically.

3. Watch those beverages, too

Foods aren’t the only sources of calories you need to think about. Many beverages are high in calories, too, including numerous mixed drinks and creamy drinks like eggnog and hot chocolate.

There’s nothing wrong with toasting the season, but try to stick to a single glass of wine or cup of eggnog, then turn to sparkling water or plain water to stay hydrated and quenched.

4. Stay active

A packed holiday schedule can make it tempting to skip exercise, but staying active supports both your weight and your mood. 

Maintain your regular workouts whenever possible, or incorporate daily walks to stay fit and manage stress. Remember: When it comes to exercise, being consistent is more important than being perfect.

5. Plan for indulgences

Let’s face it: For most of us, sweets and treats are part of what makes the holidays so special. Instead of being a complete Scrooge this holiday season, plan for little indulgences — a small helping of cookies or cheesecake, or a heavier meal today and lighter fare tomorrow.

Decide in advance when you’ll indulge, then take your time to truly savor the tastes of the season. Most importantly, set your guilt aside and don’t aim for perfection: The holidays don’t last forever, and once they’re over, you can get right back on track with your healthy-eating goals.

Enjoy the season — and your achievement

Losing weight and maintaining those results is a big achievement, so it’s natural to want to do all you can to avoid “undoing” all your hard work. With just a little extra effort, you can enjoy the holiday season without gaining back the pounds you’ve lost.

If you need some help losing weight or keeping it off, we can help. Call or book an appointment online with STL Medical Weight Loss at our Chesterfield, Missouri, practice today. Can’t make it to the office? We also offer telehealth services for patients in Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Delaware, Arizona, New York, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada, and Washington State.