An important study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine depressingly demonstrated that weight gain over the holidays is all but guaranteed for most of us (1).
Adding insult to injury, the researchers showed it can take 5 months to shed these unwelcome pounds, putting a damper on the festive spirit for many.
Fortunately, science offers some simple, holiday-friendly (no gym required) strategies to outsmart this trend.
Here are 7 research-backed ways to control weight gain during the celebratory season (and really, year round). Combine as many of these approaches as possible to see powerful results.
1) Drink a pint of water BEFORE meals
A study in the journal Obesity showed that when people drank a pint of water (500 ml) 30 minutes before each meal of the day, they consumed 40 calories less at that meal and lost 4 lb over a 12 week period, compared to a control group (2).
2) Chew your food A LOT
In a study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, subjects who chewed each bite of food 40 times consumed 12% fewer calories than those who chewed each bite 15 times. Chewing more led to lower levels of the hunger-promoting hormone, ghrelin and higher levels of appetite-suppressing hormones, GLP-1 and cholecystokinin (3).
3) Sleep
Sleep deprivation is linked to weight gain in various ways. Lack of sleep raises the stress hormone, cortisol, resulting in increased appetite (4). Sleep deprivation alters our brain chemistry so we produce less of the satiety hormone, leptin and more appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin (5). We also tend to crave more high-reward, unhealthy foods after several nights of less sleep (6). Aim for 7-8 hours of good quality sleep to stack biology in your favour. You’ll also be in a happier, cheerier mood at that family dinner - a win win!
4) Eat protein first
Protein is the most satisfying macronutrient (7). It reduces levels of appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin and increases appetite-suppressing hormones like GLP-1 and cholecystokinin (8). In one study, eating protein and vegetables before starch reduced blood sugar levels by 29% 30 minutes after a meal (9). Increasing protein to 30% of calorie intake reduced consumption by a whopping 450 calories per day, in another study (10). Start your meal with protein to consume less calories overall and feel more satisfied.
5) Say goodbye to guilt
Guilt may feel like a useful emotion that could thwart unhealthy eating but studies show it actually has the opposite effect. When people were instructed to view an unhealthy food (chocolate cake) with guilt or celebration, the guilty group ended up indulging in unhealthier foods to a greater degree (11). Make celebration, not guilt, your mantra this holiday season to feel more in control of your dietary decisions.
6) Get wise about spice
Spices add flavour to food without bloat-inducing excess salt and unhealthy sugar. Particular spices even have beneficial effects on weight management. Cinnamon stabilises blood sugar (12, 13), turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory agent (14, 15) (with excess inflammation linked to obesity (16)) and cayenne pepper can help control body weight (17). When cooking over the holidays, embrace spices in your daily food for a health and flavour boost.
7) Take a mindful moment
Mindfulness may seem like an overused term but several studies show it has the power to curb binge eating (18, 19). Tap into your internal hunger cues: eat when genuinely hungry and stop when gently (versus uncomfortably) full. Incorporate a controlled breathing or meditation practice into your day to bring more awareness to your decisions and reactions to food. And focus on the wonderful aspects of the holidays that are as, if not more exciting than the food on the table - friends, family and special moments to cherish.
Here’s hoping these simple strategies will help you feel more in control, more joyful and more carefree this holiday season.
Kanchan Koya, Ph.D. combines her Doctorate in Molecular Biology from Harvard Medical School with training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to boost the health of families with healing spices. She is a Certified Health Coach and creator of Spice Spice Baby, working to bring ancient, health-boosting spices to modern family tables. For recipes, science of spices and nutrition tips visit Spice Spice Baby and follow Kanchan for health and nutrition inspiration on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.