This gradual weight gain coupled with an unhealthy diet can quickly lead to uncomfortable bowel issues like bloating and constipation, leaving us feeling abnormally sluggish and tired during times when we need every ounce of energy we can get! Read more to learn how to avoid packing on the holiday pounds, steer clear of foods known to cause constipation, and how to choose nutritious foods that will keep you full of energy and feeling your best this holiday season!
Foods That Cause Weight Gain
During the holidays, we often spend more time with friends and family, cooking and baking family recipes, and sampling delicious treats at holiday gatherings. Because of this, it’s important to understand which foods are commonly known to cause weight gain and learn to be intentional about when and where we limit our consumption of these foods.
Below are some items to cut from our diet and be especially aware of during the holidays to avoid weight gain.
Sugary Drinks
Sugar-packed drinks, like soda, juice, smoothies, and energy drinks, often contain so many additional calories and sugar, they could be considered a meal on their own. If you want to easily avoid weight gain, opt for sugar-free options such as water, sparkling water, fruit-infused water, black hot or iced coffee, or unsweetened tea. These low-calorie, low sugar substitutions not only keep you more hydrated than soda or juice but also allow you to get your calories from nutritious meals instead of your drinks throughout the day.
Sweet Breakfast Foods
Sugary breakfast foods like pastries, donuts, pancakes, waffles, muffins, and even many breakfast cereal varieties are often the culprit of unwanted weight gain and can easily be substituted or avoided. In addition to sugar, they are also packed with refined carbs and a ton of hidden sodium that, combined, spikes your blood sugar and can cause you to slowly pack on the pounds when consumed day after day. Try switching some of these items out for low-sugar yogurt, homemade oatmeal, fruit, and breakfast proteins.
Processed Frozen Meals
Processed frozen food often is the number one go-to for a quick, hassle-free meal, but be warned, frozen food is usually packed with preservatives, salt, and a lot of extra calories. While delicious, these microwavable meals do little to nothing for our bodies nutritionally speaking, and over time, can cause major weight gain, especially when consumed right before bedtime.
If you don’t have time to meal prep, try making extra servings of your dinner each night, in order to have some to freeze for a later date.
Foods Linked to Constipation
There is hardly anything worse than constipation. During the yearly hustle and bustle of get-togethers, holiday traditions, and increased traveling, the last thing we need is to be constipated due to the food options we chose to consume during this busy time.
Milk and dairy products, fried food, and fast food are all foods linked to occasional constipation. During winter celebrations, many of the foods people bring to share are made with a ton of dairy products like milk and cheese, and these items, especially when not consumed regularly, can do a number on our digestive system causing major backups and discomfort. Additionally, fried food and fast food are typically made with so many preservatives to keep them fresh for longer, that our bodies just have a hard time processing and digesting these salt, oil, and fat-filled items.
Try This Instead
When you need to eat on the go, or you find yourself at a potluck-style holiday party, opt for fresh options like fruit and vegetable platters or filling healthy options like beef jerky, nuts, grilled options, or salads. Save yourself a few 100 calories and keep your bowels working regularly by eating healthy, fresh food.
Foods That Cause Fatigue
The last thing we want during the holidays is to feel extra tired and sluggish and not have the energy to accomplish all of the tasks on our ever-growing to-do list! Did you know there are certain foods that actually make us feel more tired than other food options?
All of the items above, in addition to weight gain and constipation, are actually culprits of fatigue as well. Anything extra sugary, fried, or packed with refined carbohydrates can cause us to crash, feel super sleepy, and sometimes even experience that feeling of brain fog we get after a larger meal.
Try This Instead
To beat fatigue this season, stock up on items with a ton of nutritional value that will keep you energized and feeling full long after the unhealthier options. Easy to prep and take-to-go items like hard-boiled eggs, nuts, tender beef jerky, fruit, chicken, fish, and whole grains offer sustainable energy from the protein, vitamins, and minerals they provide and will also help curb your appetite for longer periods of time.
Supplements to Help You Feel Your Best
In addition to avoiding these food items, there are supplements you can add to your regime that support your goal to avoid weight gain during the holidays and all throughout the year.
Dr. Randolph, who specializes in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), recommends a supplement called Chito-Slim, that when paired with smart diet choices, and a healthy lifestyle, can actually help you avoid unwanted weight gain to feel the best during all the important moments in your life!
Chito-Slim aids in weight loss by suppressing appetite and converting the fat molecules into a form that the human body does not absorb. Because Chito-Slim causes less fat to enter the body, the body has to turn to previously stored body fat to burn for energy. Chito-Slim is recommended to help you avoid food cravings, unwanted weight gain, as well as general symptoms of estrogen dominance.
Derived from the shells of crustaceans, Chito-Slim helps you avoid weight gain in the following ways:
- It has a swelling action that creates a sensation of feeling full.
- It helps suppress appetite and food cravings.
- The super-fiber characteristics foster a natural cleansing process that is vital to weight loss.
During the month of December 2021, take advantage of our buy one get one free Chito-Slim sale, and experience the many benefits this natural supplement has to offer!
This holiday season, take control of your body instead of letting the pounds slowly pack on, causing a plethora of discomfort for months to come. Start the new year fresh, slim, and healthy by avoiding the above-mentioned items and focusing on food that makes you feel good! Contact us today to learn more about how Dr. Randolph’s Ageless and Wellness Center can help you live your healthiest, happiest life, in the new year and all year long!