The fear of gaining weight during the holidays is real- especially with students. Finals typically fall around Christmas break, meaning no one has any time to even consider what they’re eating, if they’re exercising enough, and drinking enough water. So here are some solutions to not carry those extra 10 pounds!

1. Plan it Out

Cute planners have always motivated me to write things down and get important tasks done. Planning everything out will help sort out all the thoughts mushed in your brain about when to go gift shopping, when to bake the cookies, when to get the tree… you get the point. However, along with this, carving out a time to do some simple exercise such as a walk or yoga can always fit into your schedule.

2. Meal Prep

Other than actual Holidays in which you get to treat yourself to a delicious brunch or dinner, you can always eat super healthy the other days to avoid the terrifying spare tire that’ll form. Similar to the last tip, planning out meals can be very helpful because you don’t even have to think about what you’re going to eat. Personally, when I’m super busy and don’t have an exact nutritious meal planned out I tend to grab the first thing I see, which usually ends up being unhealthy and not filling. Make sure to have some sort of protein, vegetable, fruit, carb, and maybe a little treat for yourself! I recommend planning these out at the beginning of the week.

3. Don’t Expect Too Much From Yourself

Don’t freak out and lose your regular regime just because you got a little busier! But also, don’t beat yourself up for not working as much. If anything, doing a less intense exercise is better than nothing, and every food is good in moderation. For me, it’s all about portion sizes- having 1 cookie isn’t going to change anything (compared to 10 cookies a day).

Increasing by a few pounds isn’t really that big of deal, nor is it too hard to shed off, but the most important thing is how you feel. Stress can definitely be helped by exercising and taking care of your body when finals, gifts, and money are becoming an issue.