The holidays are approaching, and along with the traditional holiday feasting comes an inevitable weight gain for many people. But with the right attitude and a healthy game plan, according to UW-Madison nutritionists, this unhealthy trend can be stopped.

Adults tend to put on about a pound each year, UW nutritional sciences professor Susan Nitzke said.

The problem, she said, is a combination of both holiday feasting with decreased exercise and activity. This means people tend to maintain the extra pounds they gain over the holidays, she said.

“Exams and cold weather curtail people from getting outside to move around,” she said.

Another trend that leads to weight gain, Nitzke said, is the unhealthy trend of eating without consideration of hunger.

“The best way to avoid weight gain is to avoid eating more than you need and exercise more than usual,” Nitzke said.

Nitzke said there is a general decrease in exercise during the winter and around exams as people become stressed and outdoor activities are less available.

However, she noted, the SERF, Nat and Shell are all available for students to maintain an exercise routine so that holiday weight gain can be fought.

Nutritional sciences lecturer Pete Anderson said he recommends 20-30 minutes of activity four or five times a week.

“Do whatever you like best,” Anderson said. “But elevate your heart rate.”

According to Nitzke, it does not matter what you do, as long as you just keep moving.

“The more you move, the better,” she said. “And do something you like.”

Both Nitzke and Anderson acknowledged an increase in food consumption over the holidays, but neither advised avoiding holiday foods. Instead, they said, people should be smart about what, and how often, they eat.

“People should celebrate and enjoy these foods,” Anderson said. “Eat Thanksgiving dinner, but don’t eat like that all weekend.”

Nitzke encouraged a realistic eating plan over the holidays.

“If you don’t eat at a party, you will either be miserable or give in and overdo it,” Nitzke said. “Just make up for it by eating less at other meals that day.”

The holidays are a time to enjoy food and not stress out about dietary issues too much, they said.

Anderson said holidays are no time to attempt to lose weight. Rather, he said, they are a time to increase activity levels.

“The most important thing is to eat healthy foods and maintain exercise while enjoying some fancy foods,” Anderson said.