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The Holidays are great. There’s food, friends, family, and more food. It may come as no surprise that for many this festive feasting is usually followed by fasting and fitness, but is there a way to enjoy the festivities without partaking in the twelve pounds of Christmas?
The short answer: Yes
It may sound like a Christmas miracle, but below is a list of 5 simple tips to make that New Year’s resolution a little bit easier to achieve.
1. Pre-game the feast.
Now before you go breaking out the Jaggermeister, I should explain that “pre-gaming” in this sense actually refers to the food. Research shows that having a protein-rich snack 20-30 minutes before sitting down for dinner can increase feelings of fullness, and help prevent over-eating thus helping you avoid gaining weight during holidays.
2. Use smaller plates.
We often serve ourselves more when we have bigger plates. In fact, a 2016 research review concluded that when plate size doubled, people served themselves 41% more food which led to greater overall consumption.
3. Keep the food on the counter, not the table.
Overeating is often a result of convenience, if the food is there, we’re going to eat it. That’s why keeping dishes on the counter and serving ourselves before sitting down to eat is a great way to decrease calorie consumption because it means we have to get up to get a second helping. This mild inconvenience can diminish the total amount of food we eat, and can even decrease the chances that we seek a second serving altogether
4. Eat more slowly
Have you ever sat down to eat something, pulled out your phone, and then the next thing you know, the food is gone? You’re looking around, like “what happened?”. You’re checking under the table to see if the dog got it until you realize there is still some gravy on the corner of your mouth…not that I’m speaking from experience or anything. But seriously, slowing down helps increase levels of fullness and decrease overeating, so this holiday season try taking a sip of water in-between each bite, or take a breather between the salad and the main course and see how it affects your feelings of fullness.
5. Pack up leftovers to avoid grazing throughout the day
When dinner is at 2 pm it’s easy to see how dinner, second dinner, and third dessert can start to blend together, that’s why packing up the leftovers after the main course is done can help mitigate some of the grazings that we engage in throughout the rest of the day, and limit mindless eating.
As you can see, there’s nothing on this list about denouncing mashed potatoes and gravy or developing a phobia around Yule logs. Moderation and mindfulness can go a long way when it comes to weight management and is easy interventions to help you enjoy the stuffed turkey instead of feeling like one.
If you would like more guidance regarding your guidance feel free to reach out to us to discuss how a personalized nutrition plan can help you achieve your goals in the New Year!
With a pleasantly satiated smile, John
