Gained Weight Over the Holidays? Here’s What to Do About It

The period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, for many, tends to be filled with extra opportunities to indulge. And this can certainly make it easy to consume extra calories and put on a few extra pounds.

But, while holiday weight gain is real, it may not be as severe as most people think.

But other peer-reviewed research suggests that in reality, most people gain only around 1.5 pounds during festive periods.

• Cold weather makes us eat more and reach for more indulgent foods. Like other animals, human beings are wired to pack on more body fat in anticipation of cold weather, when food historically is more scarce.

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   It doesn’t help that many fresh fruits and leafy greens aren't in season this time of year (and therefore, often, less available), leaving us to reach for heartier — and often more caloric — foods.
• Shorter, darker days throw off our circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms refer to the cyclical patterns of bodily functions, such as sleeping and eating, that follow a 24-hour internal clock.

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   Circadian rhythms can be influenced by external factors, including the amount of natural light we’re exposed to. “In winter, our sleep cycles are off,” Badaracco says — and this has to do with our circadian rhythms. “We get less sunlight and are inside more,” she says. These factors can affect insulin secretion, fat storage, and metabolism — all of which play a role in weight maintenance, she says. Disrupting circadian rhythms is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for metabolic issues, including obesity.

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• We move less. Nearly 60 percent of American adults are less active during the winter months than the summer months, according to a National Recreation and Park Association survey of 1,004 people.

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   Shorter days and colder weather mean shrinking motivation to get outside to exercise or even drive to the gym. Energy levels seem lower, too: More than one-third of Americans reported sleeping more in winter in a survey for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

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• We drink more. When the temperature drops and daylight hours decrease, many people tend to seek the comfort of a boozy beverage to help them cope. Residing in the coldest regions of the world was associated with increased alcohol consumption in winter (some research has suggested), possibly because booze acts as vasodilator, increasing blood flow to skin and creating a warm feeling.

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   And though alcoholic drinks vary in calories, most standard ones (such as a pint of beer, glass of wine, or 1.5-ounce shot of a spirit) add around 100 calories — or more if you’re consuming them with other ingredients or ordering a larger pour.

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“First and foremost, be kind to yourself,” says Colleen Tewksbury, PhD, RD, an assistant professor in nutrition science at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Be careful not to let weight gain affect your self-worth, willpower, or morality, which have little to do with nutrition, health, and weight, Dr. Tewksbury says.

“It is completely normal to have weight fluctuations throughout the year,” Tewksbury says — including for some, over the course of a well-enjoyed holiday season. “The key is that you’re tracking the trends and intervening early if it is a consistent trend up over time.”

Instead, use these five tips to start to develop new healthy habits:

1. Make a Plan

2. Weigh Yourself Regularly

One reason this might help, says Badaracco, is because it’s a goal for which “you can find some positive reinforcement when you’re successful.” She notes that anyone with a history of disordered eating, however, should be cautious and speak to their healthcare provider before starting any kind of diet.

3. Choose Healthy Habits to Follow

4. Enlist a Friend

When people are contending with weather that urges us to stay indoors and experiencing a post-holiday slump, creating goals with others can be especially helpful, says Badaracco. Whether you want to embark on Dry January (or extend it to February and beyond) or start hitting the gym again, having a partner to help keep you accountable can help you see results.

Schedule workouts with a buddy, have walking meetings at work, or swap healthy recipes with a pal. “It makes the activity so much more enjoyable, and you look forward to it,” says Badaracco. It can be done virtually too with fitness- or nutrition-tracking apps. Or use a notebook to keep a log to hold yourself accountable.

5. Be Patient

The holiday season is generally defined as a six-week stretch. If you were overindulging for that amount of time, the pounds won’t disappear overnight. “It’s more important and effective to set small, manageable goals,” Badaracco says. “Planning to go for a 15-minute walk three times a week might not seem like much, but it’s a small win that can propel you forward. Then you can gradually increase the goal.”

• The holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is a key period of weight gain for many people.
• Holiday weight gain could be due to eating more indulgent foods, moving less, drinking more alcohol than usual, and your circadian rhythm being out of whack.
• There are things you can do to lose those extra holiday pounds, such as establishing new healthy habits, weighing yourself daily, and enlisting a friend to hold you accountable.

With additional reporting by Moira Lawler.