Are you feeling that after turkey bloat and wondering, “How I am going to make it through the holiday season without gaining a lot of weight?”

The popular notion that most people gain between 5-7 pounds just isn’t true. Truth is that most of us will gain about a pound.

The problem is that we tend to keep that pound and it accumulates throughout the years. According to the National Institutes of Health, that extra pound a year may be a contributor towards obesity. So don’t go diving into the desserts with abandon just yet!

One way to prevent holiday weight gain is to think about what it takes to gain a pound. You must consume an extra 3500 calories.

So do simple things:

1)   Drink water instead of soda or high calorie drinks.

2)   Stop eating after one helping. Don’t gorge yourself.

3)   Avoid stress eating by doing non-food related activities.

4)   Exercise if you eat a heavy meal. Research shows that there is benefit to exercise two hours after you have indulged. So if you overeat, hit the gym!

5)   Struggling to find time to exercise with all the holiday busyness. Remember that a 10-minute brisk walk gives huge benefit. Now, get out there and enjoy!

For more tips to prevent overeating, check out Dr. Linda’s book, PRESS PAUSE BEFORE YOU EAT