As a personal trainer for 15 years, I’ve spent many holiday seasons helping clients prevent weight gain and other unwanted side effects of the celebratory time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
The first thing I teach them is the 50% rule.
For years I’ve been using this method myself and because it worked so well in helping me maintain my own health over the holidays, I decided to start introducing it to my private clients. I have been blown away by the difference it’s made.
The 50% rule is simple: You only put in 50% of the effort toward your goal. In other words, take your goal, whatever it is, and slice it in half.
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Case in point: One of my clients had set a goal to walk 10,000 steps a day. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and she was so down on herself in our coaching session. She felt like a “failure.” I asked her if this goal was really realistic and how she would feel if her goal was 50% of that, just 5,000 steps a day. She told me she would be ecstatic because she easily hits 5,000 steps every day. So we decided that during the holidays we would cut her goal by 50% and set it at 5,000 steps a day. Anytime she went over (which she did, 100% of the time!) I wanted her to celebrate. As a result, she had the healthiest holiday season of her life because she felt so motivated by achieving (and surpassing) her goal. The success encouraged her to stick to other healthy habits and kept the momentum going.
You can also apply the 50% rule to enjoying indulgences during the holiday season, whether it be comfort foods or festive co*cktails.
3 Unrealistic Holiday Health Rules
Here are three common (yet unrealistic) health rules that I hear clients set this time of year and how we use my 50% rule to modify them and encourage healthy behaviors, minus the guilt.
1, I won’t eat any dessert at holiday parties.
Really?! Let’s try: I will eat half of the desserts that I normally do. I use this rule myself. Instead of grabbing a sugar cookie out of the cookie jar, I break it in half and only eat one half at a time. My 50% rule allows me to enjoy the cookie, but helps prevent me from overdoing it. I enjoy how it tastes, the texture in my mouth and the smell, and then I move on. If I want another cookie, I break off half of it and enjoy.
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2. If I don’t have 30 minutes for a workout, it’s not worth it.
I used to feel this way and it kept me in a holiday workout desert for years! However, when I really worked on my mindset I realized that 15 minutes was better than zero. Just because I enjoy 30-minute workouts on regular days doesn’t mean I needed to forego my workout completely on the days that I don’t have that much time. So during the holidays, when I’m spending time with my relatives and friends, I cut my workout time in half. Once I did this for the first time (the day before Thanksgiving about 10 years ago), I never looked back. I still get the “feel-good” endorphins and I am proud of myself, like I did something positive. Whenever I find myself stuck in the mindset of “I need to do a workout for X number of minutes in order for it to be worth it” I always remind myself that I will reap the same mental benefits by exercising for half the time.
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3. Holiday co*cktails are unavoidable. I’ll just start over for Dry January
This is how many of my clients view their drinking habits during the holidays. I use my 50% rule every season to ensure that I’m not waking up hungover or sluggish. I started to focus on how I wanted to feel every day. Did I want to wake up the next day feeling sluggish, lethargic or having a headache? No! So I decided to look ahead and then plan ahead. I start by estimating how many glasses of wine or co*cktails I may consume on a given occasion. Red wine with my mom’s annual Christmas Eve’s spaghetti night? Instead of 3 glasses, my goal is 1.5 glasses total. This simple rule single-handedly made me become more cognizant of my alcohol consumption and allows me to enjoy myself while ensuring I have a productive and energetic morning the next day!
Stephanie Mansour
Stephanie Mansour is a contributing health and fitness writer for TODAY. She is a certified personal trainer, yoga and Pilates instructor andweight-loss coachfor women. She hosts “Step It Up with Steph” on PBS. Join her complimentary health and weight-losschallenge and follow her for daily inspiration onInstagram and in hernew app.
FAQs
The rule is simple to follow: take whatever goals you usually follow, and cut them by 50% for the holiday season.
What is the 50 rule for weight loss? ›
Use the “50 percent” rule: At every meal, make sure at least half your plate is filled with produce. Use the scale wisely: Weigh yourself regularly to keep an eye on your weight, but don't look at the number as a measure of your self worth.
How much weight does the average person gain around Christmas? ›
Actually, studies show that most adults don't gain as much weight as you might think during the holidays. The average weight gain during this time period is anywhere from 0.8 pounds to just under 2 pounds, according to a research review published in the Journal of Obesity.
How long does it take to lose holiday weight gain? ›
The average person can lose about half the weight they gained in the first month or so, but the path back to baseline will last you until about May. You won't consistently get under baseline until June, and you'll finally bottom out at your lowest weight at the end of October.
How not to gain weight during the holidays? ›
8 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
- Stick to a routine. It is easy to deviate from structured mealtimes and usual exercise in the name of celebration. ...
- Eat protein in the morning. ...
- Get adequate sleep. ...
- Limit alcohol. ...
- Exercise early in the day. ...
- Try a protein preload. ...
- Eat strategically. ...
- Don't deprive yourself.
While you can lose 20 pounds (lbs) in a month, this is neither safe nor sustainable. Losing weight more steadily with the right diet and exercise can help you stay healthy and maintain your weight loss.
How to lose 50 pounds of belly fat? ›
- Limit sugar and sugar-sweetened drinks. A diet high in added sugars may lead to excess abdominal fat. ...
- Eat more protein. Protein may be the most important macronutrient for weight loss. ...
- Consider a low carb diet. ...
- Eat fiber-rich foods. ...
- Exercise regularly. ...
- Track your food intake.
Cutting back on calories and engaging in regular physical activity may lead to gradual and sustained weight loss. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week (or 30 minutes per day five days a week) and eating 500 fewer calories a day to lose up to 1 pound per week.
Why do I put on 3lb in a day? ›
A person's weight usually fluctuates by a few pounds over the course of a day. If their weight returns to normal and they do not have additional symptoms, the temporary increase may simply be caused by bloating and fluid retention.
How to drop vacation weight fast? ›
Here's how to get back on track and lose vacation weight
- Prioritize your exercise routine. ...
- Increase fiber and fluid. ...
- Do a portion-size reality check. ...
- Restock your kitchen with healthy foods. ...
- Resume tracking your food and weight. ...
- Keep perspective and remember your vacation fondly.
Yes, it's entirely possible to lose 10 pounds in a week. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea or that it's going to last.
Can you lose 15 pounds of water weight? ›
You can lose up to 20 pounds of water weight in one week after modifying your diet and starting an exercise routine. Trinh Le, MPH, RD, claims that up to five pounds of water may be shed in a single day.
Is it possible to gain 10 lbs in 2 weeks? ›
Gained 10 pounds in a month? Or yet, gained 10 pounds in a week? Now that's cause for concern. This kind of totally unexplained weight gain can signal more serious health problems such as a hormone condition or a reaction to an Rx.
What is the best season to lose weight? ›
Summer is the best season to lose weight. It's warm outside and you can indulge in light aerobic exercises like swimming and walking at your will. Choose from nature's basket of healthy, low-fat and low-calorie summer fruits and vegetables to lose weight easily.
Is holiday weight gain real? ›
The New England Journal of Medicine published a study of adults showing that the average holiday weight gain was . 37 kilograms, or just under a pound, and more than half the people in the study stayed within a kilogram, or just over two pounds, of their other weigh-ins.
How do you bounce back from holiday weight gain? ›
2. Keep it simple.
- Aim to avoid feeling “overfull” (limit yourself to no more than once per week)
- Cook healthy meals in bulk to grab throughout the week.
- Add a salad or extra vegetables to your dinner each night.
- Make sure every meal contains a fruit or veggie.
- Add in an extra day or two of exercise.
Diet plan overview
Starting the 90 30 50 diet plan for beginners introduces a balanced approach to daily nutrition, focusing on 90 grams of protein, 30 grams of fiber, and 50 grams of healthy fats. This plan is designed to ease newcomers into a diet that supports muscle growth, digestive health, and optimal fat intake.
What is the most effective way to lose weight at 50? ›
Though simple, the best research- and expert-backed tips for losing weight after age 50 include sleeping more, drinking more water, understanding your diet, taking care of your mental health, moving more, and getting regular medical check-ups.
What is the 50% rule diet? ›
Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. 3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts.
What is the 20 20 20 rule weight loss? ›
“For those who've had bariatric surgery, we use the 20:20:20:20 rule: a 20 pence-sized piece of food, chew it 20 times, put your knife and fork down for 20 seconds between mouthfuls, and take 20 minutes to eat the meal,” she says.
