By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

The holiday season is here, and they’ll be “parties for hosting” soon enough. With all of the upcoming celebrations comes plenty of food, and you may be wondering how to approach holiday grub in a balanced way. 

This post provides 4 tips for preventing the dreaded holiday weight gain while still enjoying your favorite foods and seasonal treats! 

1 – Lose the “all or nothing” mentality. 

It’s easy to overindulge during the holiday season and let it all go from there. Instead of throwing your hands up in the air and foregoing healthy eating for the rest of the year after eating a few too many pieces of Halloween candy, remind yourself that every day is a blank slate.  

If you overdo it one day, don’t fret. Take a step back, refocus on your goals the next day, and go from there. Everyone has days where they struggle with balanced eating. Consider your overall diet over the course of a week instead of harping on the couple of days that you had too many treats. And remember…Thanksgiving is just ONE meal out of the thousand plus you eat per year! 

2 – Eat your regularly scheduled balanced meals as often as possible. 

Sticking to your eating routine or weight loss meal plan as much as you can during the holiday season can make a big difference. Even if you and your family only have one night during a busy week where you can sit down for a balanced meal, still do it (put those takeout menus away…). Try to maintain as much of your normal eating pattern as you can throughout the day, especially on Thanksgiving and other holiday celebrations. Instead of skipping meals to save up for a feast, eat something light with protein and fiber at your regular mealtimes. This will help you maintain your energy and blood sugar and prevent overeating.  

3 – Enjoy your favorite treats, but be mindful. 

Everyone has their favorite holiday treats, whether it’s apple pie on Thanksgiving, homemade Christmas cookies, or a peppermint mocha from your regular coffee shop. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying these festive foods! However, it can be beneficial to practice mindfulness when it comes to sweets. Instead of making every kind of Christmas cookie this year, choose the few recipes you really love and save the other ones for next year. If you can’t decide between apple and pumpkin pie, have a small slice of both instead of two full slices. Moderation can prevent going overboard. 

4 – Fit movement into your busy days. 

With so much to do in a short period of time, it’s easy to skip working out during the holiday season. If you’re struggling to keep up with exercise, think about how you can add movement into what you already have planned. Out shopping? Park far away or take a few quick laps around the mall before starting. Need to call home to finalize holiday plans? Take the call while you walk. Think outside the box, and before you know it, you’ll be racking up the steps! 

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