With Thanksgiving behind us, how did you do with your holiday eating behaviors? Did you need your stretchy pants? Did you make room for any fruits or vegetables? Was your whole plate covered in gravy? If you didn’t do as well as you wanted, here are 10 tips you can try out at upcoming holiday gatherings.
- Use a smaller plate. This will trick your brain into thinking you are eating more than you actually are.
- Drink water. This will help you stay hydrated and feel full longer.
- Make sure are not extremely hungry before getting to the “big meal.” Being overly hungry before the meal could lead to overeating.
- Load half your plate with healthy fruits and vegetables. This will allow you to get some healthy calories and nutrients.
- Think ahead about what foods will be available during the meal and plan what you are going to eat. This will help cut down on impulse eating as you follow through with your plan.
- To reduce the temptation to snack, stay out of the kitchen or away from areas where food is being prepared.
- After your first plate of food, wait 20-30 minutes before going back for more. This will allow your mind to understand how full you are.
- Exercise and be active throughout your day. This will help burn more calories.
- Give yourself permission to not finish and\or throw away extra food on your plate (or your child’s plate). This will help limit extra calories that you are tempted to consume.
- Moderation is key! If there are a lot of foods you want to try, focus on putting a smaller portion of each item on your plate.
Hopefully these tips will allow you to cut down on extra calories, improve the quality of time spent with friends and family, and feel successful in a challenging environment!
Happy Holidays!
Post by Mike Lockard
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