Why We Gain Weight During the Holidays — And Why It Matters Even More for People With Diabetes and Women Over 40

Every year, many people enjoy holiday meals, parties, and traditions. But along with the fun, something else often happens: weight gain that never comes off.

Research shows most adults gain 1 to 5 pounds during the holiday season, and the problem is that they don’t lose this weight afterward. Over several years, this adds up—slowly but steadily.

For people with diabetes, insulin resistance, or other chronic conditions, this small yearly gain can have a much bigger impact on blood sugar, inflammation, and long-term health.

And for women over 40, holiday weight gain becomes even harder to lose because of hormone changes, slower metabolism, stress, menopause symptoms, and shifts in muscle mass.

This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the holidays.
It simply means you need a plan that works with your body, not against it.

Let’s break down why this happens, why it matters, and how you can stop the cycle this year.

Why People Gain Weight During the Holidays

Holiday weight gain is not about “lack of discipline.”
It’s about changes to your daily routine.

1. Holiday foods are higher in sugar and calories.

During the holidays, people eat more:

• Cookies

• Pies

• Stuffing

• Bread

• Mashed potatoes

• Sauces

• Party snacks

• Candy
  These foods are higher in calories and easier to overeat.

Studies show Americans eat 200–300 extra calories per day during the holiday season (Yanovski et al., NEJM, 2000).

2. Most people move less.

Cold weather + travel + busy schedules = fewer workouts and less walking.

3. Stress increases.

Holiday stress is real, and it affects your body.
More stress means more cortisol, a hormone that:

• Raises blood sugar

• Increases belly fat

• Increases cravings

Research shows higher cortisol levels are linked to weight gain and higher glucose (Epel et al., 2000).

Put these three together, and weight gain becomes very easy.

The Bigger Problem: Most People Never Lose the Weight They Gain

This is the real issue.

Studies show:

• People gain small amounts of weight during the holidays

• They rarely lose it afterward

• These small gains continue year after year

• Over time this becomes 10–20+ pounds

Researchers call this the holiday weight creep.

Even a small gain of 1–2 pounds each year becomes a major health problem over 5–10 years.

Why This Matters More for People With Diabetes and Chronic Diseases

Holiday weight gain is not just about appearance.
It can have real health effects, especially for people with diabetes or other chronic conditions.

Here’s why:

1. Extra weight makes insulin resistance worse.

Fat stored around the belly releases inflammatory chemicals that make insulin less effective.
This causes:

• Higher fasting blood sugar

• Higher A1C

• More glucose spikes

• More medication

• More cravings

Even gaining just a few pounds can make blood sugar harder to control.

2. Holiday foods can cause large blood sugar spikes.

High-carb meals + desserts + alcohol =
Big spikes → big crashes → more hunger → more eating.

People often think they’re “just tired” after a holiday meal when it’s really a blood sugar crash.

3. Stress raises glucose.

Cortisol (stress hormone) tells your liver to release more sugar into your bloodstream.

So even if you don’t eat more, stress alone can raise your blood sugars.

4. Lack of sleep affects hunger and cravings.

When sleep goes down:

• Ghrelin (hunger hormone) increases

• Leptin (fullness hormone) decreases

This leads to overeating, especially sugary foods.

5. People with chronic conditions face higher risks from small weight gains.

This includes:

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Heart disease

• Fatty liver

• PCOS

• Autoimmune conditions

Small weight increases cause higher inflammation, which makes symptoms worse.

Why Women Over 40 Are Affected Even More

Women over 40 (especially those with chronic disease) face extra challenges.

1. Hormone changes slow metabolism.

Estrogen decreases in perimenopause and menopause, which causes:

• Slower calorie burn

• More belly fat

• More insulin resistance

This makes it easier to gain weight and harder to lose it.

2. Muscle mass decreases with age.

Less muscle = slower metabolism.

Holiday inactivity speeds up muscle loss.

3. Stress hits harder.

Women over 40 balance:

• Career

• Family

• Aging parents

• Health concerns

• Menopause symptoms

Chronic stress raises cortisol → higher blood sugar → easier weight gain.

4. Holiday foods cause stronger blood sugar spikes.

As insulin resistance increases with age, the same foods have a bigger effect.

All of this makes stopping holiday weight gainespecially importantfor women over 40.

The Holiday Weight Creep Cycle

Here’s how the cycle works:

Year 1:

Gain 3 lbs → Lose 0–1 lb → Net +2 lbs

Year 2:

Gain 3 lbs → Lose 0–1 lb → Net +2 lbs

Year 3:

Gain 3 lbs → Lose 0–1 lb → Net +2 lbs

After 5 years →10 lbs
After 10 years →20 lbs

For people with diabetes, this often means:

• A1C goes up

• Medication increases

• Blood pressure rises

• Cholesterol rises

• Energy decreases

• Weight becomes harder to lose

This is why breaking the cycle is so important.

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain (Without Dieting)

Here are simple habits backed by research:

1. Follow the “One Plate Rule.”

Pick one plate, fill it, and enjoy it slowly.
No grazing all day.

2. Add veggies first.

Fiber slows digestion and helps prevent blood sugar spikes.

3. Walk for 10 minutes after meals.

Research shows short walks lower glucose more than long workouts later.

4. Drink water before meals.

This helps reduce overeating.

5. Save treats for special moments.

Enjoy your favorites—but not every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

These small steps make a big difference.

How the Don’t Gain, Maintain Holiday Challenge Helps

Trying to manage weight, stress, and blood sugar alone during the holidays is hard.
That’s why this challenge exists.

It gives you:

• Weekly guidance

• Simple tools that fit real life

• Functional-medicine-friendly strategies

• Support and accountability

• Check-ins and encouragement

• Recipes and holiday tips

• A balanced approach (no dieting or guilt)

This challenge is designed to help you:

• Avoid weight gain

• Keep blood sugar steady

• Reduce stress

• Feel more in control

• Start January feeling proud, not frustrated

It works for:

• People with diabetes

• Women over 40

• Busy professionals

• Anyone who wants to break the holiday weight gain cycle

This Year Can Be Different

Imagine going into January:

• Without extra holiday pounds

• With steady blood sugar

• With fewer cravings

• With more energy

• Feeling confident and strong

Small steps during the holidays protect your metabolism, hormones, and long-term health.

And you don’t have to do it alone.

Join the Don’t Gain, Maintain Holiday Challenge

If you’re ready to break the cycle this year, join us.

💜 Simple
💜 Supportive
💜 Evidence-based
💜 Designed for people with diabetes and women over 40
💜 Focused on maintaining—not gaining

Click here to join and finish the year feeling good—not heavier.

References

1. Yanovski JA, et al.A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain.New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;342:861–867.

2. Schoeller DA.The effect of holiday weight gain on year-to-year body weight.Physiology & Behavior. 2014.

3. Hull HR, et al.The effect of the holiday season on body weight in college students.Nutrition & Metabolism. 2006.

4. Epel ES, et al.Stress, cortisol, and central fat.Psychosomatic Medicine. 2000.

5. ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes 2024.