Avoid Overeating During The Holiday Season
As beautiful as the holidays are, work and family gatherings are full of temptations – tables are filled with tasty food and delicious sweets. And while it is OK to enjoy a nice meal and eat a few more calories, you should keep in mind the hard work you put throughout the year and try not to overeat at all costs.
Here are some tips that can help you to avoid gaining too much weight
Be Healthy
Keep your regular eating habits as much as possible during the day. By eating healthy and low-calorie most of the time, you can afford to have a full calorie-rich meal at the dinner party with no regrets.
Have a small snack before you leave the house. It can be a salad, a scoop of peanut-butter on a banana or a handful of nuts. This way you will not be starving and can resist foods that look good, but otherwise you do not like.
Try to add as much as possible fruits and veggies – they are low in calories, high in fiber and rich in nutrients.
You can also have a glass of water before a meal, so it will keep your stomach full and you will not be able to eat too much. Another trick is to start the meal with a salad.
Choose Wisely
Avoid eating food just because it is there. If you do not enjoy the taste of food that is there, save your plate for the next course which you actually like.
Plan ahead. At a restaurant you can always ask for the menu or the host at a home-cooked dinner party so you can choose what you really like.
Mind the portion size. Once you put food on the plate and ate it do not refill. This way you can keep track of the amount of food you ate and avoid overeating.
Use a smaller plate. This way you will still have a full plate, but digest smaller amounts of food. Also, there will be some space left for dessert.
Be Mindful
Focus on the food! Multitasking such as watching TV, browsing the internet or taking care of the kids while eating makes you not realize the amount of food you have eaten. It also prevents from getting the fullness signal of the body.
Take your time to enjoy the tasty food someone prepared. Eat mindful and slowly. It takes the stomach about 20 minutes to signal the brain it is full and does not need food anymore. Wait a few minutes before reaching out for another portion.
Track the amount of drinks you consume. Liquid calories are important part of our diet that we often do not register. Alcoholic drinks are rich in calories and can even substitute a meal! Also, when we drink we tend to lower food limitations and have greater appetite.
Sitting and watching TV is usually accompanied by constant snacking. If this was an apple snack – go ahead, but unfortunately chips and crisps are more commonly present.
Exercise Regularly
This is why you should try to fit in workout in your holiday schedule. Whether it is yoga, running or walking make an effort to do it daily as it will keep your mind fresh. It will also give you a chance to bond with your family.
Looks Matter
Carefully choose what will you wear. Clothes with elastic bands will allow you to eat much more than nicely fitted clothes. Wearing something with a belt will make you stop eating faster.
For a woman a simple trick as adding a lipstick will help – you do not want to go to the bathroom constantly to re-apply it, right?
Stress Eaters
As a general rule you should be well rested and relaxed. People often tend to overeat when they did not sleep well and are under a lot of stress. It leads to higher calorie intake and craving unhealthy foods.
If you are an “emotional eater” instead of eating more, treat yourself with a hot bath, relaxing music, a long walk or aromatherapy candles.
At The End
You should not feel guilty if you overate. However, do not repeat this pattern regularly and do not postpone the healthy eating plan. If you overate today, enjoy smaller low-calorie meals the next day. This will keep you within limits and closer to your goals.
Still, you should enjoy the holidays as much as possible. Use them as a time to charge the batteries, focus on the fun and quality family time.
