“I put on a few pounds over the holidays” is a commonly uttered phrase once January hits, but just how true is it? Do people really gain weight during the holiday season?
“Statistics taken from medical records show that people gain about 1 pound during the holiday season,” running from mid-November to the new year, said Dr. Susan Spratt, an assistant professor in the department of family medicine and community health at Duke University School of Medicine.
This is an approximate number since people aren’t weighed exactly on Nov. 15 and Jan. 1. “So, some studies show that it’s about a pound, some show that it’s between 0.8 to 2 pounds,” said Amanda Beaver, a wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist Wellness Services. “It does vary a little bit.”
Beaver added that this weight gain is found to be in adults, not in children or college students. “A lot of people talk about gaining weight during the holiday, but it’s typically not as much as people often fear,” Beaver stressed.
But what’s worse than any potential of holiday weight gain is the shame around food during this time of the year.
“I tend in my practice to not emphasize that at all, and really try to steer people away from that fear and try to just focus on improving the relationship with food, hunger and fullness cues,” Beaver said.
So while it might be true that people can gain weight during the holidays, the idea that it’s “bad” may be mostly B.S. Here’s why, plus what else you should know:
Shame around food can ruin your enjoyment during the holidays — and can also be unhealthy.
People often fret over holiday weight gain, but a poor relationship with food can be unhealthy, too. Thoughts about holiday weight gain, especially among those who are dieting, can create fear surrounding the foods they want to enjoy, Beaver noted.
“And then that creates a bunch of guilt and shame,” Beaver said. “And if they’re in a place where they’re trying to lose weight, the holidays can be tough to navigate and can create a lot of emotional burden and stress, because they might really want to enjoy something that they previously enjoyed and they feel like they can’t.”
Beaver said she tries to steer people away from that limitation-based mindset and to work on their habits and relationship with food during this time instead.
“That way, they’re not feeling that shame and emotional burden that can sometimes lead to people just throwing their hands up, and then maybe going overboard or doing a binge and then feeling a bunch of guilt afterward,” she said.
One nutritionist-backed rule of thumb? Don’t skip meals or restrict yourself.
“We want to avoid skipping meals ... because that can put us in a place where we’re feeling excessively hungry when we get to the party or gathering, and then we often will tend to overeat and eat faster when we’re overly hungry,” Beaver said.
Before heading to a holiday party, approach your meals like normal, Beaver said. Additionally, don’t restrict yourself.
“Balance is the most important part of this time of year — just finding that happy middle that gives you the ability to celebrate while also staying conscious of your health goals,” said Spencer Rizk, a nurse practitioner with One Medical.
In other words, don’t deprive yourself of dessert if you really want it; this may be the only time of year to have your aunt’s sufganiyot or your dad’s homemade eggnog. What’s more, telling yourself that certain foods are off-limits just creates more temptation.
“That can basically put it on a pedestal,” Beaver said. “And oftentimes when [we] finally do allow ourselves to have it, we might go crazy and go overboard on it.”
To avoid this situation, give yourself permission to have the foods (or drinks) that you enjoy. And when you do have something you’re looking forward to, focus on actually enjoying the food or drink, not just scarfing it down, Beaver said.
For people who are strict about calorie tracking and nutrition, Rizk added that it’s OK to let yourself have some special food and drinks this holiday season.
“An extra 500 or so calories a day on the holidays, even a little bit more, isn’t going to disturb their long-term health goals too significantly,” Rizk said.
Lastly, be sure to hydrate and eat filling foods.
“Make sure [you] drink enough water and eat a lot of plant-based foods with lots of fiber, which will keep you full,” Spratt said.
This can include holiday salads loaded with fresh veggies, or meals made with beans or nuts.
Additionally, Beaver said to balance your plate so your body gets the fuel it needs.
“We want to try to get a protein source, whether that is some chicken, fish — even deviled eggs have some protein — or beans, lentils or tofu,” Beaver said.
“And then some kind of carbohydrate source like potato, even fruit, any kind of green dish ... and then a fruit or veggie. This one is really key, because we still want to make sure that we’re getting our nutrients in and our vitamins in ... during this holiday season,” Beaver added.
Remember: Extreme holiday weight gain is not the reality.
“We’re not going to tell patients that we don’t want you gaining a few pounds this season; we don’t want those patients to feel shameful or feel insecure,” said Rizk.
Additionally, many folks worry that they’ll have to buy bigger pants at the end of the holidays, but that probably isn’t the reality — you likely won’t even notice the small amount of weight you put on, if you put on any at all.
“There is truth in that you may gain some weight this time of year, but it isn’t the extreme weight that people talk about,” Rizk said.