Tips to Prevent Holiday Excess | Healthy Meal Planning | MealEasy

December 13 2012

By MealEasy in Holiday, Planning Tips | Tags Holiday, Party

Attending lots of holiday parties this season?
Here are some tips to prevent overeating this time of year:

The holidays bring to mind parties and large, festive meals full of delicious food. It can be easy to overeat during the holiday season, but there are ways to avoid overindulging while still enjoying yourself. Changing certain eating habits can make a big difference in calorie consumption without dampening the holiday spirit.

Step 1

Have a plan to avoid overindulging in holiday goodies. Bring healthy, low-calorie snacks like fruit to work to avoid snacking on high-fat snacks that coworkers bring in. If you fill up on low-calorie foods, you are less likely to overeat or eat large portions of high-calorie foods. Before attending a party where you know food (and fatty food, especially) will be in abundance, eat some nutritious snacks.

Step 2

Drink a glass of water before a holiday party or meal; this will help you feel full and reduce overeating. Drinking water throughout the day will also help keep you feeling full, making it less likely you will reach for excess goodies. Keeping a water bottle nearby is a good reminder to keep drinking water. And while at the party, instead of drinking soda or eggnog, ask for a glass of water. Sip on it constantly throughout the party so your stomach is always slightly full. In addition, it will save you the extra calories since carbonated beverages like soda and holiday drinks like eggnog are full of empty calories.

Step 3

Choose moderate portions of only the foods you like best during a meal, and only eat dessert if it is one you really like. Do not worry about hurting anyone?s feelings if you do not eat her food; if you really feel bad about not eating something; place a small portion of it on your plate. Reach for a small sized plate for your potluck or buffet dinner. By filling up the smaller plate, you will feel as if you are eating much more than you actually are.

Step 4

Eat slowly during meals. It takes time for your body to signal that it is full, and eating too quickly can lead to overeating. Being mindful of what you are eating allows you to slow down and savor the food. The slower you eat, the more time your brain has to trigger the feeling of being full. You can easily overeat if you eat an entire plate of food in just a few minutes. If you take 30 minutes or longer to eat the same amount of food, your brain will signal the full reflex before you have a chance to overeat.

Step 5

Don?t skip meals.? As tempting as it can be to skip a meal or two before the large Christmas meal, this is a bad idea. Waiting to eat will trigger the starving reflex in your body, causing you to want to overeat. If you eat healthy, regular meals throughout the day, you are much less likely to overeat at the Christmas meal. Snacks throughout the day, such as vegetables and healthy nuts, will also help prevent overeating at mealtime.

Step 6

Focus on the reason for the gathering. Start up conversations with loved ones or friends and take the time to be present and engaged. The holidays are all about sharing good times with others; taking the focus off the food can discourage eating when you are not really hungry anymore.

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Source: http://blog.mealeasy.com/tips-to-prevent-holiday-excess/

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