Holiday season is surely the season to watch out for; endless social events, dinners, family gatherings and more. Every time people socialize, food is always present. So if you’re on a diet, it might be hard resisting that sweet ham and lechon de leche on the table. Noche Buena and Medya Noche can be a good excuse to taste those sweet carbs and chocolate cake.
By January, you can already feel the heaviness from all that dinner and lunch parties. With this, people may ask, “Is holiday weight gain actually true?”
According to research from Cornwell University, holiday weight gain is true. The weight gain starts from the month of October. It is actually the start of the holiday season wherein people are already preparing for the upcoming holidays. Social gatherings are already set; reunions, dinner parties and such. When January comes, it is when people start to reflect on what they have eaten and how they will be able to burn off those extra calories. Most people assume that they gained 3-5 pounds during the season, but according to studies, it is actually at least 1 pound. It may sound small, but it is somehow harder to burn and may take a few months to totally remove all those excess holiday fats. Holiday season is when people prepare food that surely everyone likes, most of it consists of carbs and sugar. If you’re on a diet, these two are your sworn enemies, but since it’s the season of joy, having a spoonful might not be too much.
It can also be said that people are tend to move less since the weather is colder. It is better to relax in the sofa or lie in bed while reading or scrolling through your phone. Which is why those extra pounds linger more on the body and actually harder to burn.
Even though you succeeded the number of calories you should take, don’t feel too much guilt. You can still burn those excess fat and go back to your usual routine. You can go back to the gym and lift weights and run those extra miles in the treadmills. You can even go to aesthetic clinics and receive some slimming treatments to directly target those holiday fats.
Sources:
Macmillan, A. (n.d.). Holiday Weight Gain Is Real, Study Says—and It Starts in October. Retrieved January 5, 2018, from https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/weight-loss/holiday-weight-gain
Oaklander, M. (2016, December 1). The Annoying Truth About Holiday Weight Gain. Retrieved January 5, 2018, from http://time.com/4587800/holiday-weight-gain-diet-sugar/