Holiday-associated weight gain

The problem with holiday-associated weight gain is that it doesn't end with the holidays. Such holidays can be several days in a row, birthdays, long weekends and anything else. 

 

Long-term observations show that weight gained during the New Year period accounts for 60-70% of annual weight gain. On average, people gain 0.37 kg, and this weight doesn't disappear afterward—returning to a regular eating routine doesn’t lead to its loss. While young people may not gain weight, their body fat percentage increases.

 

 

Why are the New Year holidays so dangerous for long-term weight trends? It's not just one day but 7-12 days in a row, packed with gatherings with friends, office parties, family get-togethers, New Year celebrations, one or two Christmases, Old New Year, all combined with reduced physical activity and the rush to fit everything in. During this period, caloric intake often doubles or even triples over several days.

 

While a single episode of overeating isn't a threat, extended periods of overindulgence can seriously disrupt the body's "lipostat" (fat-regulating system), shifting the fat point through various mechanisms, including disrupting hunger hormone regulation. Many of you may be familiar with the phenomenon informally known as "getting the taste for it," where eating large amounts of fatty and sugary foods repeatedly leads to increased hunger between meals.

 

This way of celebrating often becomes reflexive for us, and the sight of Christmas trees and snowflakes triggers consuming an enormous amount of food.

- Therefore, it’s important to approach holiday meals consciously—plan your table mindfully, don’t reduce your enjoyment to overeating, maintain a clear mind, and set comfortable internal boundaries. Welcome the New Year or Birthday openly and thoughtfully.

- Avoid overeating on consecutive days, weigh yourself daily, maintain clean intervals between meals, taste small portions, and eat festive foods after the basics: after vegetables, greens, and protein.

- Have a good breakfast, don’t rush, and don’t exhaust yourself.

- Let the celebration be about mindful self-care, not compulsive indulgence.

 

 

References:

 

Effectiveness of a brief behavioural intervention to prevent weight gain over the Christmas holiday period: randomised controlled trial, BMJ 2018; 363.

Seasonal food purchase cycles and BMI changes among South Africans participating in a health promotion programme, Public Health Nutrition 2016, Volume 19, Issue 15.

Effect of the Holiday Season on Weight Gain: A Narrative Review, J Obes. 2017; 2017: 2085136.

Daily Self‐Weighing to Prevent Holiday‐Associated Weight Gain in Adults, Obesity, 2019; 27(6): 908.