The holidays are an especially difficult time to avoid extra calories and weight gain. We find the office full of delicious offerings on decorative holiday plates at every corner. And who can resist? Very few of us can! That’s why many of us gain several pounds during this time of year. Family functions, visiting relatives and holiday parties seem to take us away from exercise and conscientious food choices, and focus our attention on enjoying life, eating, drinking and good company. Not all bad certainly, but not all good either, if all that enjoyment comes at the price of extra pounds and an enlarging waistline. So what can you do to prevent the holiday bulge?
Here are a few tips to help you avoid overindulging:
1. Don’t Arrive Hungry
Have a nutritious snack beforehand. If you do arrive hungry, drink some water to fill up before filling your plate with unnecessary calories.
2. Divert Your Attention
Don’t forget that there’s more to a holiday party than the food. There is friends’ company, dancing, etc.
3. Pace Yourself
Even though all the food looks irresistible, don’t just scarf it down without chewing. Chewing more slowly will fill you up with less food.
4. Be Careful in Buffet-Style Food Situations
Use the smallest plate and limit your helpings to a single story, and choose more protein and vegetables. This will be much more satisfying.
5. Limit Alcohol
Don’t drink so much to where you lose self-control and wind up eating extra calories. And, just because it’s in liquid form doesn’t mean it isn’t fattening. Traditional holiday drinks, like eggnog, are filled with calories!
6. Be Choosy About Sweets
When it comes to dessert, be very selective and limit to small portions. Just taste some of the more intriguing desserts and leave the other ones alone.
7. Bring Your Own Treats
Consider bringing a low-calorie treat that you’ll enjoy. It’ll make the fattening alternatives less tempting.
8. Limit “Tastes” While Cooking
If you do a lot of cooking during the holidays, crack down on all those “tastes” because they can really add up. Instead of tasting mindlessly every few minutes, limit yourself to two small bites of each item, pre- and post-seasoning.
9. Walk it Off
Take a few minutes to get off the couch and walk around the block. Find opportunities to park further, use the stairs, etc.
