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Bob Harper's 3 tips to avoid holiday weight gain

Bob Harper joined TODAY to offer a few tips on how to keep the weight off during the holiday season, starting in October.
/ Source: TODAY

Recent research published in a letter to the editor of The New England Journal of Medicine analyzed weight gain across three countries (U.S., Germany and Japan) over the course of a 12-month period. The conclusion: Your current weight is the lowest it will be for the rest of the year.

The worst part is that, according to this recent research, the weight gain an average person experiences from Halloween to New Year's Day will stay on until April.

Bob Harper joined TODAY to offer a few tips on how to keep the weight off during the holiday season. Here are his three top tips:

1. Boost your workouts.

Now is the time to re-evaluate your workout routine and take it to the next level. How? Boost the intensity of each and every workout by doing things like increasing the speed on your treadmill runs, adding more resistance when on a stationary bike and increasing the amount of weight you're lifting.

2. Focus on your goal.

Find what motivates you and use it as inspiration. One goal might be to strengthen your bones and muscles, another might be to increase the distance you can run.

RELATED: How to get the most out of your workout

Whatever your particular goal is, establishing a healthier lifestyle has countless benefits like improving your heart and lung health, reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.

3. Change your diet.

Don't let the 'd' word scare you. Harper stressed eating right doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself. His advice is to train your eye to recognize portion sizes and make sure you're eating a balanced meal with every plate. He recommended you follow the 50/30/20 rule, 50 percent protein, 30 percent carbohydrates and 20 percent fat.

RELATED: Clean eating basics: it's surprisingly easier than you think

Here's what this would look like in a typical day:

Breakfast: Egg sandwich (one egg and one egg white) with low-carb bread and tomato

Lunch: Chicken and vegetable burrito with a low-carb black bean tortilla

Dinner: Turkey burger with avocado and side salad