It can be hard to enjoy yourself at holiday gatherings if you are trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, but there are ways to make these gatherings enjoyable for yourself.
Eat Before You Go
Eat a healthy snack before you leave for the gathering. If your stomach has something to digest, you won't get the hungry signals that may lead you to overeat or make poor nutritional choices at the buffet table.
Grab A Small Plate
If you see a choice of different plate sizes, always grab the smaller plate (usually the salad plate). By having a smaller plate to fill, you will eat less.
Use The Two-Thirds Rule
When you fill your plate, make two-thirds of your plate vegetables or lean protein (chicken, lean beef or fish) and only one-third carbohydrates. This will help ensure that you are eating healthy.
Just a Taste For Me, Thanks
Okay, so you can't resist trying the fabulous looking dessert at the end of the table. No problem - there are two ways to work desserts into your plan. First, instead of taking a whole piece of the yummy concoction, just take half. Grab a knife and split it in half so you can enjoy a taste without tacking the extra fat and calories onto your waistline. Another idea is that if you know you will want a full dessert, factor that into your eating on the day of the gathering (or on the day after) so that you eat less fat and calories around the gathering so that you are accounting for the extra goodies.
Skip the Drinks
Did you know that alcohol and fancy coffee drinks contain calories too? They sure do and if you overindulge, not only is it unhealthy for you, but you can also add a lot of extra calories. Consider skipping the drinks if you want to focus more on the food or go lighter on the food if you cannot resist the extra creamy coffee drink after dinner.
In summary, while it is easy to gain weight over the holidays by overindulging in fatty foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition, you can avoid packing on pounds at parties with a few easy tips: eat before you leave for the party; use the salad plate at the buffet; focus on eating more protein and vegetables than carbohydrates; take a small sample of dessert and skip caloric alcohol and coffee drinks. Happy holidays!
Kristin Colangelo - I have a strong background in science - specifically zoology, human biology and chiropractic. I owned and operated a family ...
