Everybody knows that holiday weight gain is typical.

Most of us just accept that this will "happen" to us. We accept the weight gain and plan to work extra hard in January to get back on track. But guess what? - It does not have to be this way. Holiday weight gain is not inevitable. 

There are multiple reasons for this and ways to keep the end-of-the-year weight off. Here, we're just highlighting a technique termed "offsetting." We can literally "offset" a holiday meal via various tricks and hacks. Below you will find how to turn a "fat gain meal" into a "fat loss" meal using whey protein powder.

We did not come up with this on our own. We borrowed the concept from author Joel Greene. More extensive information on offsetting can be found in his book, "The Immunity Code."

Offsetting is a powerful tool that allows you to avoid and avert the unwanted effects of eating foods that result in fat gain. We share this idea because those large and luscious holiday meals and treats loom on the horizon. However, this concept is practical for everyday use. (And this whey protein offset is just a scratch to the surface! We highly recommend diving into The Immunity Code book and following Joel Greene on Instagram for more info).

Here's the main idea of how it works. Consuming a whey protein shake 30 minutes before your larger meal can significantly decrease the rise in your blood sugar from that large meal. (Remember, a large rise in blood sugar = fat gain). Let's break this down, shall we?

• Significant rises in blood sugar lead to fat gain.
• If you control your blood sugar, you control your fat and weight gain.
• Meals that include lots of starches, carbs, and sweets cause an enormous rise in blood sugar.
• We eat lots of these foods during the holidays.
• We can "offset" these foods with a "preload" meal such as a whey protein shake.

We suggest consuming this whey shake like this: (Shake it all up in a protein shaker bottle or blender).

• One (1) scoop of whey protein powder in water
• One (1) teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• One (1) teaspoon of olive oil or flax oil
• Crushed ice

Consuming this 30 minutes before a big holiday dinner (or whatever meal you wish to "offset') will help:

1. Reduce the post-meal blood sugar spike
2. Slow gastric (stomach) emptying to slow the rise in blood sugar further
3. Slightly reduce your appetite by satiating you with hearty protein

Pretty cool, huh?! This is pretty cutting-edge research, but many of us at Fitness Collective practice offsetting and have found many benefits. So give it a try this holiday season, and check Joel Greene's book for more offsetting foods, hacks, and tips!