You can still have green bean casserole and pumpkin pie—here’s how to plan for them.
Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD
Key Points
- Enjoy the parties, but don’t skip meals to “save up” calories for a bigger feast.
- Savor your favorite dishes, but pass on store-bought apps or foods you don’t love.
- Ditch the all-or-nothing mentality and consider tracking your weight with a scale.
The holidays are meant to be a fun time of year, filled with spending time with loved ones, going to festivities and enjoying delicious food. However, if you’re trying to lose weight, you may feel like you can’t indulge in your favorite holiday foods without undoing all the progress you’ve made so far. Dietitians say that’s not the case. You can enjoy your holiday favorites and still lose weight. “Holiday celebrations are part of life, and it’s totally possible to support your weight-loss goals while also partaking in your cherished family favorites. It just takes a little planning to stay on track,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., RDN.
Specific habits, and even mindsets, can help with weight management throughout the holiday season, while still making room for favorite foods and traditions. Here are five dietitian-backed tips for keeping weight loss moving during the most celebratory time of the year.
1. Don’t Skip Meals to “Save” Calories for Later
Skipping meals early in the day to “save up” for a big holiday meal later is a common weight-loss strategy, but it almost always backfires, says Ana Reisdorf, M.S., RD. “Showing up overly hungry makes it harder to make intentional food choices and recognize when you’re comfortably full,” she says. This can lead you to eat whatever is in front of you, which is usually snacks and appetizers higher in calories, fat, sodium and refined carbohydrates, says Harris-Pincus. When you fill up on appetizers, there’s less room for the nutritious foods that are usually served at the main meal, like protein and vegetables. Not to mention, when we’re starving, we tend to eat quickly, which can lead to overeating.
Instead of skipping meals, Residorf recommends starting the day with a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast. This will keep blood sugar balanced and help you feel better. Eat a balanced lunch and perhaps an afternoon snack too, depending on the time of the more indulgent holiday meal. The goal is to show up to the meal slightly hungry, not starving.
2. Prioritize the Foods You Love
From casseroles to pies to potatoes, there’s more variety to choose from during the holiday season, and portions tend to be larger. Research shows that more food variety and bigger portions can lead to eating more. To help you stay on track with your weight-loss goals, dietitians recommend choosing the foods you really love and skipping the others. “Pick the two or three holiday foods you’d truly miss, then decide in advance how you’ll enjoy them,” says Michelle Cardel, Ph.D., RD. Reisdorf agrees: “If Grandma’s homemade pie is your favorite, enjoy it! If foods that are available all year long are on the menu, skip those to truly enjoy the special ones with no guilt.”
When it comes to deciding how you will enjoy the food, Cardel recommends “if-then” plans. For example, “If I’m at the buffet, then I’ll start with veggies and protein, then add a small serving of Grandma’s pie.” Research shows “if-then” statements, also called implementation intentions, are effective at helping people follow through on the plans they set in regard to eating and exercise. “They work best for adding healthy foods and less well for simply cutting back on less-healthy ones. So build your plan around what you’re adding, not just what you’re avoiding,” says Cardel.
3. Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset
Everyone wants practical strategies for how to keep calories in check throughout the holidays, but what if a simple mindset shift could help you eat less? One of the biggest ways to stall weight-loss progress is to stay stuck in an all-or-nothing mentality. This is when you tell yourself the day is already ruined, so you’ll eat whatever else you want and get back on track tomorrow or next week. This dichotomous, or black-and-white, thinking is associated with giving up on weight-loss goals. It can also turn one high-calorie meal into several. “One cookie or meal doesn’t ruin your progress,” says Cardel. But if you let one less-nutritious meal turn into several over the course of days or weeks, it could slow your weight-loss efforts.
To keep the scale heading in the right direction, move on at the next meal, not the next day. “Eating something that feels decadent and returning to your normal routine at the next meal is a skill worth practicing,” says Cardel. Studies show that individuals who accept that things won’t always go as planned are more likely to get right back on track the next day.
4. Keep Track of Your Weight
Stepping on the scale frequently isn’t for everyone, but the data doesn’t lie. Research shows that in individuals who are trying to lose weight, weighing more frequently is associated with greater weight loss. “Seeing a small uptick lets you adjust the next day, without guilt,” says Cardel. It keeps your goals and progress front of mind so you can course-correct before several weeks have gone by. The important thing is to look at the numbers as data and remember that your weight is a range. It’s expected that it’s going to go up and down a couple of pounds day to day, but more regular weigh-ins can help you see if the overall trend is going up, down or staying the same.
Don’t be stressed by headlines that say people gain 5 to 10 pounds every holiday season. This myth is overblown, says Cardel. “The average gain is under a pound, but the weight tends to stay on and accounts for much of people’s yearly gain,” she explains. Weighing yourself daily or a couple of times per week is a simple way to keep yourself on track. “However, daily weighing isn’t right for everyone, so skip it if you have a history of disordered eating,” says Cardel.
Other Healthy Tips for the Holidays
Along with the strategies above, dietitians say these tips can also help you stay healthy throughout the holidays.
- Slow down while eating. “Eating slowly is one of the easiest ways to enjoy food more while eating less,” says Cardel. Studies show that people tend to eat fewer calories when they eat slowly compared to eating quickly. If you struggle to slow down while eating, try taking smaller bites and chewing more per bite. Playing relaxing music at the meal could help you slow down and savor your meal, too.
- Be mindful of alcohol. Not only does alcohol contribute calories, it may also increase food intake, according to research. “Alcohol can add significant calories without providing much nutrition, and it can also interfere with sleep quality, which may already be challenging during this busy time,” says Reisdorf. Dietitians recommend opting for lower-calorie beverages, having a mocktail or skipping alcohol altogether to make it easier to manage your weight during the holidays.
- Protect your sleep. When schedules get busy, sleep can suffer, impacting weight. “Inadequate sleep can influence appetite, food cravings and energy levels, making healthy habits harder to maintain,” says Reisdorf. Don’t be afraid to leave the party early so you can get to bed at a reasonable time. It’s one way to reduce calorie intake that day and prevent overeating the next day. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night is a good goal, as well as trying to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, says Reisdorf.
- Stick with your exercise routine. It can be easy to skip workouts during the busy holiday season, and in the moment, it may not seem like a big deal. However, if you skip it enough times, you may see the scale start to creep up. That’s because exercise is an important tool for maintaining weight. Try to be consistent as you can, even if that means a shorter workout. “Movement doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” says Reisdorf, “A walk after a holiday meal, dancing with family or playing outside with the kids all count.” Taking a 10- to 15-minute walk after meals can also help with digestion and blood sugar management, says Harris-Pincus.
Our Expert Take
You don’t have to give up your favorite holiday foods if you’re trying to lose weight. Dietitians say you can still enjoy your favorites and lose weight when you get your mindset right and plan ahead. Their top recommendations are to prioritize eating the foods you love, ditch the all-or-nothing mentality and eat consistent meals, rather than saving calories for later. Slowing down while eating, keeping track of your weight, getting enough sleep and being mindful of alcohol can also help you stay the course during this busy time of year.