4 Party Season Pitfalls + How to Avoid Them

It’s time we faced the facts about the holiday season: many of the things we love about December (gifts, food and other indulgences) will soon become the things we hate about January (resolution season). At Carepoynt, we have rounded up four of the most common pitfalls we all encounter during this hectic (and magical) time of year—so making healthy choices is already a habit when January rolls around.

1. Overdosing on high-fat, high-sugar foods.

Whether it’s that 10-pound tin of caramel corn in the office kitchen or your friend Lynda’s amazing pumpkin bars, the holidays bring SO many additional opportunities for temptation—it can feel pointless to even TRY to rein in your eating habits. But consider this fact from the American Caloric Council: the average American can consume as many as 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat in a single holiday meal.

That’s more than twice what you need to get you through an entire day…and if you’re attending multiple parties and gatherings this year, with the requisite unhealthy snacking in between, it WILL start to add up! One study revealed that people who are already overweight can gain as much as five pounds during the holidays; another suggested that most people don’t ever lose their holiday weight.

Our advice: skip the December indulgence/January atonement cycle and make smarter choices this month. Start a meal delivery service like Freshly, or order whole, healthy foods from Thrive Market. Do a fitness challenge with DailyBurn. Always eat a healthy, filling meal and drink at least 16 ounces of water before you leave for any party. Then allow yourself one small indulgence per event—and savor every sip or bite!

2. Those extra cocktail calories you’re consuming.

Honestly, it’s no longer realistic to call cocktail calories “hidden calories”—it’s nearly 2018, and we all know that alcohol can affect our weight. So, whether your personal Kryptonite is something as innocuous as a glass of wine (about 120 calories) or a known “no-no” like an oversized chain-restaurant cocktail (up to 700 calories), this is a great time to set some personal limits around alcohol consumption.

Look at it this way: if you drink just one glass of red wine every day for a week, you’ll be consuming nearly 900 extra calories—that’s six servings of ice cream! This month, try setting simple limits: no drinking at home, or only one single-ingredient drink like wine or beer per party. Or, if you know you’ll want more than one drink, consider skipping dessert…and always avoid holiday punches, which tend to be very high in sugar and calories.  

3. The stress of feeling underslept and overscheduled.

When your work schedule won’t give, but your holiday social calendar is full and there are SO many errands to run…you can just sleep less, right? Wrong! Studies show that lack of sleep (less than seven hours, habitually) can contribute to weight gain, high blood pressure and a variety of other health problems.

Even though it may be challenging, this is a great time of year to practice enforcing your boundaries. If you believe that the fun and stress release you’ll get at any particular gathering will carry you through the fog of the next day, by all means, GO! But if you’re just attending a party out of social obligation—it’s okay to politely decline the invitation. 

4. The “don’t look ‘til January” budgeting approach.

We’re all guilty of it: the holiday spending binge. And, while some extra cash outlay IS necessary during the gifting season, your Carepoynt membership can help ensure you’re maximizing every dollar you spend. Make sure to check your Carepoynt account daily for new earning/redeeming offers and opportunities.