During the long holiday season, many people often gain weight due to unavoidable parties… Therefore, you should have a healthy eating plan to have delicious meals and effectively control your weight.

While the holidays aren’t usually the best time to lose weight, it’s possible to maintain a healthy weight. Here are nine tips to help you avoid holiday weight gain.

1. Snack Smart to Avoid Weight Gain

During the holidays, unhealthy snacks like cookies and other tasty treats are often available. When food is readily available, you’re more likely to snack unnecessarily. Pay attention to your snacking habits. If you find yourself snacking just because you’re surrounded by food and not because you’re hungry, it’s best to avoid snacking altogether.

Avoid snacks that don’t contain added sugars or unhealthy fats – both of which can lead to weight gain. If you’re hungry, choose foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds as snacks.

2. Watch your portion sizes

To avoid gaining weight, you need to control your food intake.

During festive occasions, meals can easily become overwhelming. People who eat more tend to gain weight more easily than those who don’t. The best way to overcome this is to control their portions or use smaller plates and bowls to eat a reasonable amount of food.

3. Practice mindful eating

Some people tend to multitask during meals. Studies show that people who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat. This is because they are unable to pay attention to their body’s fullness signals.

Try to eat slower, chew more thoroughly, which will help you better recognize your body’s fullness signals and consume fewer calories.

4. Keep your meals balanced with protein

Holiday meals are often high in carbs but low in protein. However, it is important to include some protein in every meal, as it promotes satiety and can be helpful for weight maintenance.

In fact, eating protein at meals can automatically reduce calorie intake by reducing hunger and cravings.

Protein is also beneficial for weight control because it increases metabolism and levels of hormones that reduce appetite.

To reap these weight control benefits, aim for at least 25–30 grams of protein at each meal. Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, and some plant foods like beans and quinoa.

5. Focus on fiber

Fiber is another important nutrient that promotes satiety. Some studies show that increasing dietary fiber can reduce overall calorie intake, which can also help prevent weight gain during the holidays.

Many common holiday foods lack the necessary fiber. Try your best to eat fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

6. Cut down on tasting

Tasting too much when cooking can also cause weight gain.

Many people spend a lot of time cooking during the holidays. Not surprisingly, this can lead to weight gain because it is so easy to taste your food. Even small bites during the holidays can add up to extra calories.

Tasting your food can be important, especially if you are cooking for others, but a small bite is more than enough.

Also, make sure you are not cooking on an empty stomach, as it is easy to over-taste when your stomach is growling.

7. Limit Liquid Calories

During the holidays, alcohol, soda, and other high-calorie drinks are popular. These drinks often add a significant amount of sugar and empty calories to the diet, which can contribute to weight gain. Additionally, alcohol consumption is often linked to increased cravings and is a risk factor for weight gain.

If you are trying to control your weight, it is best to limit your intake of high-calorie drinks.

8. Avoid processed foods

Processed foods, while quick and easy, are often loaded with sugar and unhealthy fats, which can be detrimental to your weight.

To prevent weight gain, choose whole foods and cook your own meals. That way, you can keep track of your diet and control your weight.

9. Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water has benefits for your body, starting with the fact that it’s not sugary soft drinks or alcoholic drinks. Water will also help you feel full, which can help slow down your eating.