Most women claim that it’s difficult to build a good relationship with food during the holiday season. There are so many delicious meals and drinks that many of us forget about our healthy eating habits and weight loss goals. I’m not telling you to starve yourself during the festive season. I just want to share my simple eating tricks with you so that you could eat whatever you want without doing serious damage to your waistline. Look at the list of 7 eating tricks to avoid holiday weight gain and pick your favorite ones.
1. Eat with pleasure
Instead of eating for pleasure, learn to eat with pleasure. Many women see food as a nice treat or tasty reward, and it’s one of the reasons why they put on weight during the holiday season. Yes, you do shopping, worrying about money, decorate your Christmas tree and house, cook, bake, and do lots of household chores. However, it doen’t mean that you are allowed to stuff yourself with fatty foods that are high in calories and unhealthy fats. When you eat with pleasure (but mindfully!), you eat slowly and reach for healthy meals that are low in fat, empty calories and high in essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.
2. Eat slowly
Eating with pleasure and eating slowly go hand in hand. When you eat slowly, you enjoy your food and avoid overeating. Overeating is a huge problem during the holiday season. It leads to a slower metabolism and fast weight gain. Try to eat slower (especially cookies and desserts) on Christmas dinner to boost your metabolism and feel satisfied sooner. Your brain needs about 15 minutes to get the signal that your stomach is full. Eating slowly is actually a good habit to develop, no matter the season. It will help you maintain a healthy weight all year round.
Read also – 7 Habits That Wreck Your Metabolism
3. Chew your food thoroughly
We usually put food in our mouths, chew several times, and quickly swallow. This habit may do more harm than good. First of all, you don’t get essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly. Plus, you increase your risk of weight gain. When you chew your food thoroughly, you absorb more useful nutrients from it and avoid overeating. Whether it’s a Christmas dinner or a huge Christmas party, aim to eat mindfully and slowly to stay slim and healthy this festive season.
4. Don’t eat when you are stressed
The holiday season often brings lots of stress, whether you want it or not. Endless shopping lists, tight budget, debts, wrapping gifts, decorating the house, cooking the Christmas dinner, baking lots of Christmas cookies for kids, parties, guests…there are many things that can cause stress. Before eating your meal or going to a Christmas party, be sure to relax and clear your head. Stress is a culprit in compulsive overeating, so learn to fight stress in a healthy way. Take a short nap (if you have time), do some exercises, go for a walk, or simply take a few deep breaths before eating. You will feel fuller faster and find that you eat less.
5. Enjoy the party/dinner
Let’s be honest, most of us look at the Christmas dinner or party as a tasty food event. Some people forget that it’s important and fun to spend time with their family and friends. They come, eat and go home when there’s nothing delicious to eat. Unfortunately, that’s the truth of a modern life. One of the best ways to avoid holiday weight gain is to enjoy your Christmas dinner or party to the fullest: play board games, tell funny stories, build snowmen, have a snowball fight or watch a Christmas movie.
6. Avoid drinking too much alcohol
The holiday season is full of delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. If you are trying to stay slim, your choice should be non-alcoholic drinks. While a glass of red wine is okay, don’t reach for those cocktails that are high in calories. Opt for a black or green tea, or a plain water. I know it doesn’t sound tasty, but it’s healthy and diet-friendly.
7. Choose diet-friendly cookies and desserts
If you bake yourself, use diet-friendly ingredients in your Christmas cookies and cupcakes. Look for some quick and easy dessert recipes online so that you know they won’t wreck your diet. If you attend a party, it’s hard to know which dessert is low in calories, so one or two desserts will be enough for you. Or, bring your own cookies instead.
With an abundance of delicious meals and desserts, it’s not easy to stay slim during the holiday season. You should have lots of patience and self-control to make healthier choices and avoid temptations. Just remember the festive season isn’t about food, it’s a bout spending a quality time with your family and friends and have lots of fun together. What are your tricks to avoid holiday weight gain?
