How to avoid the 12 Pounds of Christmas

The Twelve Pounds of Christmas

(Sung to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)

Oh, the first pound of Christmas was easy to ignore…..

(And) It all started with a box of Lindor.

The second pound of Christmas, a tummy full of bloat…..

Fast food while Christmas shopping …

The third pound of Christmas came sneaking up on me…

Eggnog and cookies…

The fourth pound of Christmas came with the butter tarts….

I should never start!

The fifth pound of Christmas appeared overnight….

Yikes! My pants are tight!

Shortbread cookies baking, how fattening can they be?

Butter added six pounds…..

Staff parties are in full swing so plan for food and cheer….

Seven pounds already this year….

The neighbours came a-calling and brought with them some cheer….

Can eight pounds come from beer?

The thermometer is dropping, but the scale says nine pounds up…

Make that latte “light whip”…

Now it’s time to trim the tree and decorate the house…..

That extra 10 pounds makes it a workout….

The season’s not complete without fruit cake and mincemeat….

11 pounds to my seat!

After turkey and the fixin's you’ll be more stuffed than the bird….

12 pounds up this Christmas, how absurd!

It's fun to play around like this and change the words to The Twelve Days of Christmas, but for some people this isn't actually that far off from what really happens over the Christmas season.

Here are five last-minute tips and a few strategies to help you make it through the holidays without gaining weight this year.

1. As much as possible, stick to your regular meal schedule of eating a protein, fat and carb every three hours. One meal won't make or break your results, it's what you do consistently in and around that meal that determines that.

2. Carry balanced snacks with you—protein bars, shake mix and a shaker bottle, unsalted nuts and a Mandarin orange are just a few of the things I never leave home without during the Christmas season.

3. Never arrive hungry. Having a small balanced snack before heading out to a dinner or party will make sure you are choosing what to put into your mouth rather than the mindless munching that happens when your blood sugar drops. FYI—Restricting food all day and “saving room” for that big dinner is actually worse and will cause your body to burn muscle and store even more fat that sticking to the plan all day and then simply indulging for the one meal.

4. Have your alcohol with food. Alcohol is a carbohydrate. Think of that glass of wine like a piece of bread. When carbs are consumed by themselves, blood sugar spikes and fat is stored. In order to minimize that spike and the carnage, it's best to enjoy that glass of wine with dinner. Or a least a small handful of nuts.

5. Hydrate. Not only will water help flush out any bloat that may have been collected by the extra sugar, salt and alcohol but it will also help you to feel better the next day if you did happen to overdo it just a little the night before.

Even with just a week left until Christmas, it's never too late to make a difference. Plan your off-plan meal and be choosy when you indulge. And then enjoy it guilt free.

Studies show those who plan their special occasions, tend to make much better choices in the days leading up to it.

And those who choose to indulge in only their most favourite treats tend to enjoy them guilt free and are typically satisfied with smaller portions, whereas those who randomly indulge simply because it's Christmas and treats are available, tend to report less enjoyment and more guilt. It’s a sure-fire recipe for living the Twelve Pounds of Christmas. Something none of us wants to carry into the new year.

For tips, takeaways and healthy treat options on how to prevent holiday weight gain and thrive through Christmas, join the 8 Weeks is All it Takes group on Facebook today.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.