Practical Tips to Enjoy the Holiday Without Gaining Weight

It's clear to you, me, and everyone dealing with excess weight that alongside celebration, there are also significant challenges, especially during the holiday season. This period isn't easy for any of us, so we want to navigate it without weight gain, maintaining our health, ease, and joy.

Here are some tips on how to get through the holiday without gaining weight.

Praying - This is a time for prayer and asking for a successful year in health and enhanced enjoyment. Create a clear mental picture; visualize yourself at your desired weight, feel the satisfaction and happiness when you reach your goal, and treat it as if it already exists.

Awakening - This is a time for awakening. A sleeping person does not renew or change and continues through habit without change; everything remains the same, in slumber. So, it's time to wake up and make changes.

Casting Away - Ready to cast away inhibiting habits and adopt promoting ones, throw away unwanted past experiences, everything that doesn't serve you - cast it away. Only those who empty the old can fill up with the new.

Improving - Choose to bravely walk towards change in the new year, improve performance, and become more accurate. Be in a place of continuous improvement, a little better every day than yesterday.

Restraining - Restraint is the taste of paradise; it builds cumulative benefits derived from long-term restraint. It gives a wonderful feeling of control and strength.

Changing - Change the focus. Focus on the atmosphere, social gatherings, meaningful messages, and content - not just the food.

Planning - There are low-calorie options that are good for you and everyone. Plan the meal well, use less oil, and prefer baking over frying. Only proper planning prevents disaster. Don't rely on luck or improvisation; if you don't arrange healthy alternatives, the chances of resisting temptations in real-time are very slim.

Forgiving - There's no better time to forgive than these days. We forgive the whole world and its wife, what about you? You deserve forgiveness too! Forgive yourself for reaching excess weight, forgive yourself for slips within the process. Remember it's part of life, and treat yourself with compassion. Forgiveness and compassion do not mean giving up on yourself. Clarify the subtle difference!

Emerging - How comfortable the comfort zone is! And what a heavy price we pay for it, unknowingly. The longer the comfort zone lasts, the more we sink into it. Sometimes we sink so deep that it seems it's too late. It's time to go out.

Real-Time Tips

Sitting - Eat only at the table. Not while serving, not while cleaning up, not standing, and certainly not on the way. This snacking is unnecessary.

Don't sit at the center of the table close to the serving bowls; sit a little away. You'll feel less comfortable asking those sitting next to the serving bowls to pass them to you repeatedly.

Drinking Water - Drink water before meals. It helps with the feeling of fullness, vitality, and alertness. Avoid sugary drinks; their calorie content is high and unnecessary.

(Photo: shutterstock)

Correcting - Even if you overdid it during a meal, correct it. It's no reason to stop the process; continue as usual!

Coordinating - Coordinate expectations with yourself. The goal during the holiday is to maintain weight, not lose it.

Applying - On the eve of the holiday, it's recommended to eat small and light meals, leaving room for the holiday meal. During the holiday meal, eat in a controlled manner and set boundaries for the amount of food consumed.

Dividing - Pay attention to the food portions you've chosen. During the large meal, focus on food selection. Divide the plate correctly, 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 meat or chicken, and 1/4 carbohydrates.

Giving Up - Give up fried foods or salads and foods with a lot of added oil. It doubles or even triples the calories.

Satisfying - Put a few "worthy" foods you love on your plate and be satisfied with them. Vegetables - are a free snack.

Increasing - Vegetables are allowed and recommended even during the holiday. It's highly advisable to consume them in reasonable amounts in all cooking forms.

May you have a holiday full of joy, health, ease, and happiness around the table... and throughout the year.

May the prayers be accepted with compassion, amen and amen.