The holiday season is synonymous with joy, festivities, and indulgence. Here are ten practical tips to help you savor the flavors of the season with mindful enjoyment and minimal impact on your waistline.
1. Strategize Your Feast:
When faced with a banquet of holiday delights, be strategic. Prioritize dishes you've been eagerly awaiting and pass on those that don't make your must-eat list. If everything seems irresistible, create a tapas plate with small portions of each dish.
2. Stay Hydrated:
Dehydration often masquerades as hunger. Have 1-2 glasses of water 15-30 minutes before meals to ensure your body's thirst signals aren't mistaken for a need to eat.
3. Eat Your Vegetables:
Load up on vegetables—they're rich in nutrients and low in calories. The fiber also helps you feel full and satisfied with fewer calories. Basically, you can eat more for less.
4. Avoid Drinking Your Calories:
Steer clear of sugary drinks and excessive alcohol. Prioritize water before your meal and limit alcoholic beverages to 1-2 servings, saving room for nutrient-dense foods that'll actually nourish you and keep you full.
5. Watch Spices and Gravies:
Be mindful of calorie-rich dressings, sauces, and gravies. Opt for alternatives like lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and spices to enhance flavors without excess fat and sugar.
6. Eat Slowly and Chew:
You must give your brain time to register fullness by eating slowly and chewing thoroughly. Savoring your food can prevent overeating and promote better digestion and less bloating.
7. Sharing is Caring:
Rather than sampling every dessert on the dinner table, choose two favorites and ask someone to share. This way, you can enjoy a variety without overdoing it.
8. Embrace NEAT:
In a previous blog post, I spoke about the benefits of Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which includes all movement outside formal exercise.
Engage in post-dinner activities like helping with dishes, playing with the kids, or suggesting everyone go for a short post-dinner stroll. But sitting to chat at the dinner table can lead to mindless, unnecessary snacking.
9. Stay Active:
Make the most of your holiday break by staying active. Take walks, ride a bike, or other outdoor activities you enjoy with your family to counterbalance the festive meals.
10. Don't Drag It:
This is a big one. If you overdo one or two meals, don't drag it on to the next. Avoid that all-or-nothing mindset. Instead, acknowledge the overindulgence, take a deep breath, and get back to your routine without waiting for the "perfect" restart date. Not Monday, not the January 1st, now!
Bonus Tip: Mindful Self Check-In
A scarcity mindset can often lead to overeating. During the holiday hustle, take a few mindful moments to recognize and journal about the joy and abundance in your life. Come to social gatherings with gratitude and mindfulness, keeping in mind that "there will always be more."
Also, take moments to reflect on your health goals. While one big meal won't slow your progress, a month's worth of indulgence can.
Enjoying holiday dinners can coexist with conscious eating, and prioritizing your well-being during this busy period is an act of self-care. You can definitely celebrate joyously without compromising your health; you may even inspire others at your table to do the same.
Share your holiday health tips and favorite recipes in the comments—let's make this season joyous and health-conscious.
Happy holidays to all celebrators, and for the rest of us, Happy Festivus!
Watch this YouTube video on the topic.
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