We hope you all had a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving! The Thanksgiving meal tends to be the first of many yummy (and calorie-filled celebrations) so it's no wonder that the average weight gain during the holidays ranges from three to 10 pounds! It's a festive time, so be sure to enjoy yourself, however, if you're looking to stick to your goals while still enjoying the holiday fare, I have five tips for you.

1. Choose the Nutritious Holiday Foods

Believe it or not, there is still a wide variety of foods that you will find at the holiday dinner table that will not sabotage your goals. Fill your plate with turkey, veggies, salad, and sweet potato, while leaving just a little room for things like stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, casseroles, and dinner rolls.

2. Give Yourself One (or maybe two) Free Passes

Here's the thing--if you go carte blanche and just eat whatever you want (heck, it's the holidays so why not?), you can do that without sabotaging your goals! If you designate one or two holiday meals as your free passes and you stick to your nutrition plan the rest of the time, it's all good--you will still get your results. 

3. Make Yummy Substitutions

If you're choosing route number one and opting for nutritious holiday foods, here are some easy and delicious tricks. Instead of making mashed potatoes, opt for mashed cauliflower by steaming a head of cauliflower until very tender and then mash it with grated parmesan cheese. The taste and consistency is extremely similar to your old favorite, mashed potatoes. The next tip is to boil your sweet potatoes instead of baking them as boiling them cuts the Glycemic Index in half which means you will consume a lot less sugar. You'll find that your plate filled with turkey, sweet potato, mashed cauliflower, and other veggies will highly resemble the standard holiday plate of food, but with a fraction of the calories and carbohydrates. And of course, if you are choosing route to with the free pass, you can use these hacks for other meals!

4. Be Prepared at Work

This tip is VERY important as the holiday celebrations in the workplace tend to last for around six weeks! Have healthy snacks on hand so you are not hungry at work--being hungry and then smelling the donuts or holiday cookies will be a difficult situation to combat. Take five minutes in the morning to put together a little package of items such as hard-boiled eggs, veggies dipped in hummus, nuts, apples dipped in peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and string cheese. 

5. Get Moving

It has become a new trend to start a workout program during the holidays--why wait until the new year? You may find some friends who want to join you on a December 30-day walking program, or you maybe you have a gym buddy who you can find mutual accountability in to show up in the weight room every morning before work. Not only does working out burn the calories, but it can also help to put your best foot forward in terms of having the mindset to make positive nutrition choices.

Of course, the holidays are for having fun, enjoying time with family, and indulging in tasty holiday traditions so if you're in the frame of mind to wait until the New Year to hit your goals, then yes, do what works for you! Keep in mind that we offer FREE nutrition consultations with our in-house nutritionist and you can book your appointment by clicking here!