Tips to Prevent Over Eating During The Holidays

During the last two weeks in December there are a lot of festivities taking place. From prior to Christmas, until New Year’s Eve, there will be quite a bit of eating going on. Church dinners, office parties, and family gathering will offer delicious meals that are difficult to resist. What has been dubbed as the most wonderful time of the year can come with a cost if one is not careful.

This is the season for making merry and a number of people say they can’t say no to all the food and drink that is offered and find they gain weight. The good news is that with just a small amount of discipline and tweaking of holiday habits, you may not have to include losing weight in your first of the year resolutions.

Decrease portion size

When you find that the food set before you is sumptuous and you truly want to try each dish, consider smaller portions. Instead of loading your plate until it is running over, simply put less of each food item on your plate than usual. This automatically decreases the number of calories you consume.

Take smaller bites and chew well

Gobbling down a meal really fast can leave you hungry in a short period of time. This means you.will eat again and add additional calories. When you take in smaller bites as you consume a meal and chew your food well, you will be eating less and feel full longer. It has been recommended that we chew our food 30 to 50 times, which is beneficial for proper digestion.

Wrap up a to go plate

When you find that you are no longer finishing everything on your plate, wrap up the rest and take it home. This way what you normally would have consumed in one sitting, now becomes two. It also means you won’t have to cook for your next meal.

Replace alcohol with mineral or sparkling water

One sure way to decrease calories is to replace alcoholic beverages with H2O. Opt for mineral or spring water instead of your usual drink or drinks. You can also bring along your own small bottle of purified water. There will also be no need for a designated driver if you are not inebriated.

Count calories

Become an expert at calorie counting and set a daily goal. This will help you pay closer attention to what you are eating and can keep you from going over what you have allotted in a 24 hour periodvof time. Most food package labels list the nutritional value and you can always look on the internet. When the food is prepared by others you may not be able to know the exact calorie content but you will be able to have a pretty accurate guestsmate.

Drink lots of water

Keeping yourself well hydrated is always in order and it can aid in reducing the amount of food you eat. Sip on some purified water just before each meal and also while you are eating. This will help you not to over eat.

Burn off extra calories

Find fun holiday excursions where you do quite a bit of walking. Consider taking a trek through a Christmas tree lot, or go caroling through your neighborhood if its’s safe. Walk through the mall several times while you do your holiday shopping. Take your children or grandkids along when possible so that it’s more fun, When possible take a stroll after eating rather than immediately sitting down. The bonus is that each of these simple suggestions can be implemented into your daily routine throughout the entire year. Now go have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.