It's that time of year when travel is at an all time high. You may be visiting with family locally, taking a getaway, or even having to travel for work. Not to mention all the holiday parties, and end of year parties that may be derailing your workouts and normal eating schedule. By eating just 200 extra calories a day - a piece of pecan pie, a glass of eggnog, or a couple butter cookies - you could pack on two to three pounds over this five to six week holiday season. That doesn't sound like much, except few people shed that extra weight in the following months or even years.
You don't need to deprive yourself however. Instead practice some of the following tips to help you get through the holidays without making "go on a diet" one of your New Year's resolutions.
1. Budget calories wisely: Don't eat everything at buffets and parties. Be choosy and spend calories judiciously on the foods you truly enjoy or maybe only get at this time of year.
2. Take 10 seconds before taking seconds: It takes a few minutes for your stomach's "I'm getting full" signal to reach your brain. After finishing round one, take a 5 minute break, converse with friends, drink some water. Then recheck your appetite. You might realize you are in fact full, or maybe only want a small taste of that yummy dish not a full second serving.
3. Distance yourself from the buffet: At your holiday party, don't stand next to the buffet. It makes it harder to mindlessly reach for food. If you know you are prone to overindulging, pop a mint or stick of gum in your mouth so you won't keep reaching for the "insert your favorite go to here".
4. Drink alcohol wisely: A glass of eggnog can set you back about 500 calories; wine, beer, and mixed drinks range from 100 to 250 calories and up per drink. If you drink alcohol, have a glass of water between drinks, this will keep you from getting to the drunk stage and slows down your consumption of extra calories. Also since alcohol increases appetite and diminishes ones ability to control what you eat, don't drink on an empty stomach.
5. Put on your walking or dancing shoes: Dancing is a great way to burn off some holiday calories. If you are at a holiday party with music, get out on that dance floor. At family gatherings, suggest a walk before the feast or even between dinner and desert.
6. Be buffet savvy: At a buffet, wander around the food table before putting anything on your plate. By checking out the options, you might be less inclined to create a huge pile of overflowing food.
7. Cook from (and for) the heart: To show family and friends that you really care about them, be creative and try cooking with recipes that use less butter, cream, lard, vegetable shortening, and other ingredients rich in saturated fats. Also try preparing turkey or fish instead of red meat.
8. Keep track of your consumption: If there are multiple appetizers or drink at a party keep track of how much you are consuming. Keeping the wrappers from candy, chicken wing bones, or wine glasses provides you with an accurate visual count of what you've already eaten.
9. Engage with your family/company: The more time you spend talking and staying connected with the people around you, the less time you have to pop something in your mouth. This conversation may bring you closer to your family or friends, and them to you.
10. Enjoy the food, don't take what will make you feel guilty: This time of year is a special time where we celebrate many things, celebration is different for all of us. So enjoy that food item you only get once a year and don't feel guilty, but do eat it in moderation. Will you regret taking that full second serving of it?
So this holiday season don't use "but the food was right there" as an excuse to consume more calories than necessary and then feel guilty about it after. Enjoy your holidays, enjoy the food in moderation, and enjoy the time with your family and friends. Before you know it all this will be behind you and you want to feel good about your holiday season and health.
Do you have any tricks you use to help curb your intake? Please feel free to share them with us.
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