The social animals who felt imprisoned within their homes in 2020 got the chance to break out of their cages in 2021. And now, due to an even greater slump in the pandemic graph, thankfully, the slow-motion days seem to be over for good, welcoming the holiday season with a bang!
I Yunmai/Unsplash | With the holiday season approaching and the world returning to normalcy, people have been indulging in their favorite food a bit too much
The world is now engaging in merrymaking and gaiety of the festive season. People are overloading their shopping bags, hearts, as well as their tummies. Amidst this, the diet-freaks are struggling with creeping calories, constantly fretting over their failure in reaching that ideal weight.
This is the perfect time for multifarious misconceptions regarding ‘holiday weight gain’ to set in people’s minds. But did you know that many of these myths are just old wives’ tales? We ain’t kidding! Here are 3 common myths you should ignore about the effect holidays have on one’s weight.
Myth #1 - The holidays add at least 5 pounds
After indulging in back-to-back holiday treats, this is a common feeling you might struggle with. But we’re here to tell you - it’s absolutely untrue!
To gain that much weight, you would need to consume approximately 17,500 calories in a month, which frankly is quite impossible to do. The fact is that you’ve probably put on about one pound over the holidays, and that too is solely because the sugary, fatty, and salty foods you’ve been gorging on have caused water retention and bloating. Plus, lack of proper sleep amidst the festivities may have been another reason you’re feeling plump. Although this little gain might linger for as long as five months after the holidays, experts assure it’s temporary. All of it will simply vanish once you resume your healthy habits.
Expert’s tip - snack on fruits and veggies (throw away the remaining packets of chips), drink plenty of water (but not gallons please!) and walk during your short breaks.
Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels | The feeling of weight gain post-holidays is because of the untimely sugary, fatty treats you've had and the lack of sleep. It will all normalize once you resume your regular routine
Myth #2 - A pre-holiday crash diet will help combat calories over the season
Well, the only thing that we can say is - you’re preparing yourself for defeat! The notion of “cleansing” your body never works because you’ll end up starving and overindulging later.
So, what can you do? Here’s what we recommend:
- Instead of following a new diet regime, eat sensibly all around the year and you won’t even feel the need to binge eat!
- Instead of gulping down large proportions in a fit of hunger, eat smaller portions to ditch the feeling of bloating.
Myth #3 - Snacking at bedtime will add more calories than in the day
Holidays and a fridge full of scrumptious foods are synonymous. But despite what you think, the truth is that there isn’t any specific hour that adds up more calories than the others. All you need to understand is that if you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. Having said that, experts advise avoiding alcohol and meals that have higher levels of carbohydrate before sleeping, because your body releases growth hormone during sleep, and you don’t want to grow at the wrong places!
Nicole Michalou/Pexels | There isn’t any specific hour that adds up more calories than others. All you need to understand is that if you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight
Wrapping it up
Holidays are a once-in-a-while bunch of happiness with close ones. Why miss them due to these fallacies? Guiltlessly indulge in your favorite delights because common, you only live once!