November - Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

The holiday season is filled with food-filled gatherings, making it one of the most likely times for weight gain. But maintaining your current weight (or even losing a few pounds if you need to) is simply a matter of making sure that you aren't eating more calories than you need for your activity level.

Staying active during this time of year can help you keep things in balance - so now is the perfect time to start choosing active modes of transportation to get to work, school or other destinations!

Getting out to walk or bicycle is also a great way to relieve stress, enjoy the season's weather, and check out the holiday decorations in your community!

Research shows that moderate physical activity (walking at about 4mph or bicycling at 9mph) is an important tool in helping people reach and maintain a healthy body weight.

Additional health benefits and fitness improvements can be achieved from vigorous physical activities like running or bicycling uphill or at speeds greater than 10mph (CDC).

The calorie counter is a tool you can use to determine how many calories you burn while performing a given activity, based on your weight and gender. This calculator will help you see that "a big bonus of bike commuting is all the calories you'll burn" (BCM).