As the festive season ramps up, it’s common knowledge that this jolly period often means lots of treats and extra servings. But for those worried about Christmas weight gain, there’s no need to panic.
Shannon Collins, also known as TheGymNurse on Instagram and renowned for her fitness tips, has shared some essential advice for navigating festive feasting.
The fitness guru and mum has taken to Instagram to share vital tactics to extra weight gain during the holiday celebrations. Her top tips include adding 30g of protein to each meal, not skipping meals, staying hydrated, moderating your booze intake, and ensuring you’re getting enough fibre.
She also suggests being picky with sweet treats pick what you really fancy and stop eating when you feel content rather than crammed. Using smaller plates can help control portion sizes, and keeping up with regular exercise is crucial, even amidst the festive hustle and bustle.
Shannon posted: “It’s that time of year! Doesn’t need to turn into a free for all because ‘I’ll start in January’. People forget how much progress can be made even with the smallest consistent changes, and it doesn’t necessarily take strict calorie tracking if that isn’t your thing.
“But you likely will need to change up some of your habits. The holidays may not be a great time to attempt losing fat, but that doesn’t mean you need to be gaining any more in the next six weeks.
“You can still enjoy your time and leave satisfied without making every celebration a crazy surplus. And, at end of the day, these holiday meals/days are such a small percentage of our year, it’s all the other days that matter. And FYI these are the practices I follow all year round to maintain my body without tracking calories.”
The social media post has since received over 1,400 likes and prompted numerous comments. Many users resonate with her take on indulgence, agreeing that the splurge has to be “worth it”.
One user commented: “Basically, keep doing all the things you do to live a healthy, balanced life! Don’t throw it all away for a few holiday events! Great information! “. Another said: “People REALLY underestimate the liquid calories. Those add up so so fast.”
Echoing the sentiment, a third commented: “I always say Thanksgiving and Christmas are just two days out of the year! Enjoy them, and then focus on the other 363.”