The holiday season is often referred to as “The Most Wonderful Time of The Year”, however the this season also tends to bring a great deal of stress.

Many of us use food as a way to cope with stress. And as I know all too well, stress often equates to weight gain. The seemingly constant supply of heavy food offerings and holiday desserts at this time of year also make difficult to resist the temptation of overeating.

It is important to set realistic goals during this time of the year and not deprive yourself of an enjoyable holiday eating experience. Read on for 10 tips to help you maintain your weight, and not pack on the pounds, this month.

1) Track what you eat — Be sure to include all “bites”, the calories can quickly pile up. It has been proven that people who keep food diaries are more successful in losing weight and keeping it off.

2) Eat breakfast — This will give you energy to tackle the busy day ahead. It will also help fill you up and prevent you from overeating later.

3) Treat fitness like an appointment — Your schedule is jam-packed during the holidays. Schedule your workouts on the calendar to help hold yourself accountable.

4) Carry snacks with you — You will be busy running errands, so keep a few snacks on hand for when hunger strikes. This will help prevent you from binge eating later on. Some easy on the go snacks include almonds, carrots, apples and bananas.

5) Get plenty of sleep — Lack of sleep is linked with weight gain, so make sure you catch those Zzz’s.

6) Hydrate — Make sure you are drinking a minimum of 8 glasses a water a day. This will not only help your waistline, it will give your skin a beautiful glow for all those holiday parties!

7) Save alcohol for special occasions — Cutting back on alcohol can literally save you hundreds of calories. Saving alcohol for only special occasions will help your weight loss goals stay on track.

8) Multitask —Going to the mall for gifts? You can shop AND workout! Try parking far away and take the stairs rather than elevators when shopping.

9) Don’t be afraid to say NO— During the holidays, it often seems like people are constantly putting food in front of you. You don’t want to come off as rude, however do not feel pressured and sacrifice your weight maintenance goals. Learn how to say no politely. After a few times, you will realize it’s really not that hard to say no in a nice way!

10) Focus on family –During this time of the year, focus on spending time with friends and family. With focus on quality time, rather than food, you will be able to enjoy all the season has to offer! This could be a great year to start a new family tradition – what about a turkey trot or a family walk?

It’s very important to remember that one bad day (or even week) is not the end-all for your weight loss. If you over indulged, acknowledge it, try to understand why you did and how you can prevent doing so again, then MOVE ON!  

Tell Me: How do you maintain your weight over the holiday season?