10 Tips “Thin” People do to avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Written By Wendy Sallin • 4 min read

The holidays are officially upon us! Did you know that the typical weight gain over the holidays is anywhere from 10-30 lbs? This can cause some anxiety for sure as the holidays approach. I thought I would share with you some healthy tips that “thin” people do around the holidays to keep the weight off.

   Anne Fletcher, Registered Dietician, surveyed over 160 thin people. Some of you may think that all thin people just naturally have a fast metabolism and don’t have to work hard to stay thin. But you are wrong. Yes, there are maybe 10% or less of our population that has a super- fast metabolism and do not have to even think about what they put into their mouths, but that is not the reality for most. What Anne Fletcher found is that most thin people are very aware and mindful of what they put into their bodies and have several habits or daily behaviors that have helped them stay thin. They do these things all year, but especially during the holidays to keep the holiday weight away!

1. Thin people fill up their plates with volumetric
   foods that are high in water content and fiber.
   Vegetables, fruit and whole grains are high in nutrients, low in calories, and high in fiber. By filling up your plate with mostly vegetables, is going to help you feel more satiated faster and longer.  They concentrated on foods that were high in fiber to fill up faster.
   
2. Most thin people who were surveyed had a small salad
   or a small cup of broth based soup
   before meals to help them eat less at that meal.
   
3. Thin people make
   exercise a priority!
   Especially during the holidays, exercise is non-negotiable. Most thin people surveyed said that during the holidays they make exercise even more important knowing that they may be taking in more calories than their usual day to day and knew they needed to burn them off.
   
4.  Thin people eat 5-6 mini meals during the day
   so that they never over indulge and they never feel ravenous at any one time. They will always eat a snack before going out to dinner or to a party so that they make sure to not over indulge in the high calorie, high sugar items served at the party.
   
5. Thin people are usually structured and pre-plan.
   If they know they will be gone all day at work or shopping they will always have healthy snacks on hand in their car or purse to snack and keep their metabolism up and energy up. They also tend to brown bag their lunch more often rather than eating out every day for lunch.
   
6. Thin people tend to wear form fitting clothes.
   Some people surveyed would even wear a tighter belt out to eat so they would not over-indulge. This may sound over the top but a lot of people during the cold winter months tend to start hiding behind oversized clothing. This allows them to indulge more often and gain weight during the holiday months without anyone noticing, including themselves! Thin people tend not to do this. Instead, they may challenge themselves to do the very opposite and not be able to hide. 
7. Most of the thin people surveyed
   drank a lot of water naturally.
   Some people surveyed had drank a lot of coffee or soda at one time and gave it up and now know how much better they feel once they started drinking more water and stay hydrated. Once you give up the soda, you start to naturally crave water. You see a difference in your energy, your skin tone, and your appetite. You feel so much better. Most of the people surveyed drank at least half their bodyweight in ounces of water daily!
   
8. Thin people don’t give into peer pressure.
   You know the type: Your friends are out three nights a week eating and drinking and being festive. Most people do not like to eat and drink by themselves so they peer pressure you to give in as well. Or the mother in law that loves through food and always wants you to eat, eat, eat when you come over. Thin people know how to set boundaries and know how to say no to this kind of peer pressure and do not feel guilty about hurting anyone’s feelings. They make their health a priority.
   
9. Thin people always eat seated.
   They don’t eat standing up, in front of the refrigerator, in the car on their way to work, in front of the TV at night, and never ever in their bed! Thin people do enjoy food and they make their meal times special by sitting down at the table without any distractions so that they can really savor every bite of food. This helps to be more mindful and know when you are truly full and satisfied!
   
10. Thin people don’t overindulge in alcohol.
    Some of the people surveyed had one glass of wine at dinner. Some had 1-2 glasses one night of the weekend. But for most, they hardly ever Binge drank. If they ever did over-indulge, they were very aware of their food intake and swapped out calories for the alcohol. All of the people surveyed were very aware of the empty calories in alcohol and preferred to enjoy their food rather than take it in through alcohol.

So as the holidays approach us, stay mindful, know it’s possible to indulge in moderation and enjoy yourself and still keep the weight off!