As a registered dietician, I know all too well how challenging it can be to navigate family gatherings without gaining weight. These events can be incredibly fun, but they can also be incredibly stressful, particularly for those of us who are trying to maintain a healthy weight or improve our overall health.

In this article, I want to share a few tips that can help you make it through family gatherings without gaining weight. By following these tips, you can enjoy the event without feeling guilty about your food choices, and you can come out on the other side feeling great about yourself.

Plan ahead

If you’re going to be staying at someone’s house for a few days, make sure that you have your healthy options around. This could mean bringing your own snacks and meals, or it could mean suggesting healthy options to the host or hostess. Don’t be afraid to make sure you have what you need so that you can be your most successful self.

Don’t arrive overly hungry

When we arrive at a gathering overly hungry, we’re more likely to overdo it on portions and we may not make the best choices. To avoid this, try to eat a small, healthy snack before you leave for the event, or bring a healthy snack with you that you can eat on the way.

Bring your own healthy options

If you’re going to someone’s house, offer to make something or bring something. Bring a veggie platter, make grilled veggies, or bring a healthy dip that you can enjoy with raw veggies. This way, you have healthy options around for yourself to fill up on if the other food choices are not as healthy as you would like.

Stay hydrated

Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Remember, we need to make sure we’re well hydrated so that we can make better choices and not overdo it.

Take care of yourself

If a stressful situation comes up, try and pause and take a step back.