The festive season is for celebrating, and celebrating usually means food, drinks and a routine that goes out the window. The average person gains only a small amount over the holidays, but it is weight that tends to stay, and a few weeks off training can undo months of momentum. Knowing how to avoid holiday weight gain is not about restriction or guilt; it is about a handful of realistic habits that leave plenty of room for the fun. Here are the seven we recommend at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading.
1. Aim to maintain, not improve
Do not expect to keep your peak training schedule through December. Set the realistic goal of maintaining your fitness: at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days and two or three shorter gym sessions a week. If you are new to training, start gently and build gradually. Holding your ground over the holidays is a win, and it means January is a continuation rather than a restart. See how to stay fit during the holidays.
2. Keep moving through the day
Even without a full workout, everyday movement adds up: a brisk walk at lunch, squats and lunges during the ad breaks, the stairs instead of the lift, a walk after the big meal. If you find yourself sitting for hours at gatherings, get up and move every 20 to 30 minutes. Steps are the quiet defence against holiday weight gain. Our quick workouts fit the busiest days.
3. Eat a protein snack before events
Arriving hungry is how one canapé becomes twenty. Have a small, protein- and fibre-rich snack before you go, such as a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit or a boiled egg. You will feel satisfied, make better choices and still enjoy the spread. Skip sugary drinks beforehand; the blood-sugar spike and crash leaves you hungrier than before.
4. Watch portions, not the whole plate
You do not need to avoid anything. Use a smaller plate, serve yourself once rather than grazing from the platters, eat slowly and enjoy what you chose. The first plate always tastes best. For a full plate-building strategy, read how to eat healthy over Christmas.
5. Choose your drinks wisely
Alcohol and soft drinks are the most under-counted calories of the season. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water, choose lower-sugar options where you can, and drink a glass of water before each meal. Water also takes the edge off appetite and keeps your energy up in the heat.
6. Protect your sleep
Short nights raise the hormones that drive cravings for sugary, salty food and drain the energy you need to train. Aim for seven to eight hours where you can, and when a late night is unavoidable, be a little more deliberate with food the next day rather than writing it off.
7. Enjoy yourself and get back on track quickly
The festive season is short, and one indulgent day changes nothing. What matters is the pattern: enjoy the event, then return to your normal meals and training the next day rather than letting one lunch become a fortnight. Do not beat yourself up; just keep moving.
A minimum holiday week
Two 30-minute strength sessions, one class or a 30 minute hybrid workout, a walk every day and a sauna or cold plunge visit for recovery. That is enough to hold everything you have built. Hammer’s is open 24/7 right through the holidays, so the gym fits around the calendar rather than the other way round.
Start January ahead
Follow these habits and you will come out of the festive season fit, energised and without the usual New Year scramble. If you would like a holiday plan built around your schedule, our personal trainers can help, and our classes run all season. New to Hammer’s? Claim a free one-day trial in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster.