6 Common Causes of Holiday Weight Gain and How to Control Them

Bang-Bang…and we’re back.

Quick apologies for my recent hiatus from writing. I’ve been making big life changes.

• Earning my fitness (NASM-CPT) and nutrition certifications (NASM-CNC).

• Going all-in on the fitness brand.

• Moving out and planning travel abroad.

Now I’m back and ready to serve the people once again.

Let’s get into it.

How to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you know that the holiday season can destroy all your progress.

It’s hard to ignore the Christmas Ale, cookies, and eating out with friends during this time of year.

Some people struggle a lot with emotional eating during the holidays because of stress, loss, and boredom.

While it’s normal for body weight to fluctuate anywhere from 1 to 5 pounds in a given day, some of us can put on 10-20 pounds between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

It sucks to end up right back where you started.

Not all is lost.

A lot of the holiday fluff will disappear in no time. But some of that extra padding might be real weight gain that takes work to reverse.

Here are the six most common causes of holiday weight gain and how to control them.

You’re Eating Too Much Salt

Ever suddenly gain 4 pounds in one day?

It’s likely because you ate a salty meal (or two). Sodium causes your body to retain water.

Restaurant dishes and fast foods contain extremely high levels of sodium.

Since sodium is present in virtually every tissue of the body and is essential for maintaining fluid balance, it draws a lot of water (from food, alcohol, and other drinks) into the extracellular matrix of your tissues and reduces urine output.

Although sodium is a critical mineral for survival and performance, most people consume far more than necessary. This often leads to excessive weight gain, water retention, and even high blood pressure.

Do your best to limit the chips, pretzels, sandwiches, and fast foods over the holidays.

You’re Drinking Too Much Craft Beer

High-alcohol craft beers can have up to 300 calories per 12 oz. serving.

If you had 3 or 4 of these while watching Home Alone or Sunday Night Football, you could easily add over 1,000 calories to your daily total.

On top of that ethanol, which is the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, contains empty calories (7 calories per gram).

Ethanol provides no nutritional value in terms of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, or essential fatty acids. Ethanol provides energy but lacks essential nutrients. This is why drinking alcohol is referred to as consuming “empty calories”.

It’s understandable to feel the desire to consume some beer this time of year. This should be done thoughtfully and with a plan in place to reduce possible weight gain.

Michelob Ultra, Coors Light, and Yuengling Light Lager are great alternatives, all under 100 calories.

A nice red wine is even better, at least you’ll get some antioxidants and reservatrol.

You’re Eating Too Many Holiday Cookies

Everyone is guilty of this one. You show up at your in-laws or parents’ house and there is a massive plate of freshly baked cookies. Chocolate chip, sugar cookies with icing, sometimes even brownies. There’s plenty to eat, mom or grandma made enough for everyone, so you dig in. But when do you stop?

Mindless eating is a big problem for many people during the holidays.

What is mindless eating?

Think of watching A Christmas Story with your family and the coffee table is covered with sweet treats. Everyone is talking and having a good time while watching the movie, and you’ve just eaten cookie number 8 without even realizing it.

It’s an easy way to control the damage without missing out on the fun.

You’re Not Walking Enough

For most in North America, the holiday season is cold, wet, windy, and snowy. It’s also very dark. The sun sets before 5 pm and you want to be inside, warm and cozy.

The winter is when most people abandon the good walking habits they created over the warmer months and the weight gain increases.

Even though it is cold outside (and sometimes dark), you must keep moving every day. A good target for winter walking is between 7,000 and 8,000 steps a day.

Here is a schedule you could follow to make sure you move:

• Wake up, bundle up, and walk 1-2 miles = 2,000 - 4,000 steps. 20-40 minutes.

• After lunch, put on a coat and walk 1 mile = 2,000 steps. 20 minutes.

• After work, get home and walk 1-2 miles = 2,000-4,000 steps. 20-40 minutes.

Each mile walked burns anywhere from 100-150 calories (on average).

Those steps add up and go a long way in keeping the fat at bay.

You’re Not Sleeping Well Over the Holidays

While the holidays are portrayed as a time to relax and have fun, it's the most common time of year for people to abandon their normal sleep schedule and destroy their circadian rhythm.

It’s easy to do this when you stay up until 1 AM having a conversation with a good friend or a family member you haven’t seen in a while. While it’s completely acceptable and OK to stay up late 1 or 2 nights, staying up late every night is bound to throw you off balance.

Poor sleep affects the hunger hormones, ghrelin, and leptin. This causes increased appetite.

Your brain activity is lower in areas that control decision-making and impulse, therefore you’re more likely to crave high-calorie, sugary, and fatty foods.

Insufficient sleep can negatively impact your body's metabolism.

It can lower the resting metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns calories while at rest) and affect the body's ability to process insulin, the hormone that converts sugar to energy. Poor insulin sensitivity can lead to higher blood sugar levels and increased fat storage.

Poor sleep can increase stress and affect mood, which may lead to emotional eating as a way to seek comfort or manage stress, often choosing less healthy food options.

You’re Stressed Out During the Holidays

There are many stressors present during the holidays.

• Travel

• Family

• Friends

• Gift giving

• Spending money

• Missing absent loved ones

Stress increases the production of cortisol, known as the "stress hormone.”

Elevated cortisol levels can increase appetite, particularly for high-calorie, high-fat, and sugary foods, as these foods can provide a temporary sense of relief from stress.

High stress levels can decrease motivation and energy for physical activity.

Exercise is not only important for burning calories but also for managing stress, so reduced physical activity can compound the problem.

Stress can lead to anxiety and depression, which might further exacerbate unhealthy eating habits and weight gain.

It’s important to understand what causes you stress during the holidays. You should be aware of your emotions and have a plan to deal with your stress.

Some of the best ways to handle stress during the holidays:

• Exercise

• Go for a walk

• Go for a drive

• Take a nap

• Take a bath

• Meditate

• Read

• Spend time in nature

At the end of the day, you should make time to enjoy the holidays and all the joy they bring. Have that Christmas Ale, enjoy those cookies, stay up late, and chat with friends.

Just be aware in the back of your mind that your body has a limit, and if you constantly go over the limit, you’ll be gifted a few extra pounds along with that lump of coal for Christmas this year.

Cheers to you all and happy holidays.

Jared Evans