Work/Life

Avoid the Holiday Overeating

The December holidays are a time of joy, remembrance, and food. Mostly food, it seems, and that makes it hard to stick to a healthy diet.

You don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day to renew your commitment to nutritional sanity, and you don’t have to practice complete denial, either.

Follow this advice to maintain some balance:

  • Don’t skip meals. If you avoid lunch in order to offset a big family dinner, you’ll probably eat more because you’re extra hungry. Eat breakfast and lunch so you’re able to control your appetite when the mashed potatoes and gravy come your way.
  • Exercise portion control. Don’t overload your plate. Take sensible portions of whatever comes your way, and you won’t feel compelled to consume every last bite in order to avoid wasting food.
  • Eat slowly. Your stomach can fill up before you’re aware of it, which means you may eat more than you really want or need – leaving you stuffed and uncomfortable. Make an effort to put down your fork and chew thoroughly between bites, and drink plenty of water before and during your meal.
  • Sit with the right people. If possible, sit next to a companion whose eating habits mirror the example you want to follow. If your partner is an athlete with an enormous appetite, you’ll tend to eat a similar amount, but if you’re seating next to someone who’d watching his or her weight, chances are you’ll exercise the same self-control.
  • Focus on the holiday. Remember that holidays are about more than just eating. Make an effort to talk to people and enjoy the season without just concentrating on food.
  • Get right back on track. If none of the above advice works, don’t waste time beating yourself up over it. Just remind yourself of the long-term benefits of healthy eating to motivate your return to good habits.

Adapted from FirstDraft

Categories: Work/Life

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