How to Survive the Holidays

The holidays are upon us! ‘Tis the season to be jolly…and gain weight?

Many of us fear gaining weight during the holiday season, or even plan on it. But it’s possible to navigate all the parties and the sweets and the cocktails without gaining weight and still enjoy yourself… just follow these easy tips!

First of all:

·        Remember that your body has the same needs as every other day – it doesn’t know it’s Christmas – and your appetite remains the same no matter how good the food looks.

·        When faced with a generous buffet table, scan the table first and decide what you want to eat BEFORE you fill your plate. Choose three or four items, no more.

·        Size matters – choose a smaller plate.

·        Exercise portion management and fill your plate once. That’s it. No refills. Then put your plate down.

·        Don’t forget your fruit and veg! You can still eat them as much as you want.

·        Focus on creating a fun experience for yourself and your loved ones. Remember that the holidays are about faith, family, friends and celebration and not only about the food.

Then:

Stop yourself   Did you take a huge bite of cake that looked tasty but wasn’t as good as you’d hoped? Stop. Just because you took it doesn’t mean you have to finish it. Still hungry? See if you can exchange it for a healthier treat: fruit, dark chocolate or a handful of nuts.

Avoid your trigger foods   If you’ve got a weakness for stuffing or eggnog or candy canes, for example, avoid them. Don’t bring them into your home and don’t indulge in them at parties. Exchange them for a food or drink you won’t over-consume. We get no joy out of setting ourselves up for failure.

Distract yourself  If you don’t want to eat but the food is calling out to you, do something else. Go for a walk, read a book, fold laundry, play with your kids. If you’re not really hungry it will pass.

Check to see if you’re really hungry  Often we feel hungry when we are not, but we misinterpret our body’s signals. It’s never a good idea to eat if you’re not really hungry so…before you eat, ask yourself: Am I thirsty? Tired? Bored? Listen to your body.

Finally…

Ask yourself the following questions before you eat:

1. Does this nourish my body? If not, maybe choose something else.

2. Do I need this? I don't usually need that fourth cookie or that second cup of egg nog. Do you?

3. Is this mine right now? When all else fails, and you are very tempted by the abundance of cookies, cakes and sweets, take a moment to check in with yourself to really determine if you want this treat right now.

   
   

Most important: Never, ever feel guilty 

If you feel that you can’t resist those last two cookies, or maybe you just have to have seconds on turkey and sweet potato pie, enjoy it, then let it go. Much emotional eating is motivated by guilt. Feeling guilty about eating too much inevitably leads to eating more. Recognize that you’ve eaten more than you wanted and remember the good news: your next meal will present a beautiful opportunity to make a different decision.