The holidays are already a stressful time of year. Don’t let all of the amazing food spreads at your gatherings add to your stress this year. Follow these steps this holiday season to make mindful food choices.
- Prioritize protein: Making protein the primary focus of your plate will help prevent overeating because it plays a role in satiety. Each time you put something on your plate, try to add a protein source as well.
- Limit the festive drinks: If you are a big fan of holiday themed drinks, try limiting yourself to one per event then switch to something lighter. As delicious as they are, the eggnog and cranberry based drinks are typically loaded with sugar. Additionally, don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach as it increases appetite and can cause poor judgement when it comes to food choices.
- Don’t skip meals: The logic of “saving calories” simply does not work. Keeping yourself hungry all day often leads to overeating later on. You may not be as hungry at the party, but you can still enjoy smaller portions of your favorite foods and overall you will likely not eat as many calories. In fact, eating a healthy snack before a party is recommended. Combine a complex carbohydrate with a protein or healthy fat to leave you the most satisfied. For example, an apple with peanut butter.
- Don’t ignore the fruit & vegetable platters: It is understandable that you may want to save room for your favorites, but the fruits and veggies are going to be low-calories options that will help fill you up and keep you from overeating.
- Window shop first: Take a look at all of the options before putting anything on your plate. Create a plan for which foods you want to put on your plate instead of piling on too much.
- Satisfied before stuffed: Eat slowly and pay attention to how you are feeling as you eat. Once you feel satisfied, take a pause from eating to prevent that stuffed feeling. If you get hungry later, you can always eat again.
- Don’t forget what really matters: Remember to enjoy yourself! You should be able to enjoy your favorite dishes that you don’t get any other time of the year, just be sure to slow down and actually savor them. Having your favorite treat once a year won’t make or break your health. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you do overeat, just focus on making the next meal better and incorporate some movement.