Holiday Weight Gain (Cont’d)
How do you prevent the pounds from accumulating around your waistline this holiday season? I have 10 tips to help you beat the holiday treats that tempt you and keep you and your jeans from having to part ways. My previous post contained tips 1 and 2, today’s post will contain tips 3 through 6 and I’ll post tips 7 through 10 next week, so keep checking back to get all 10! You can read my previous post with the first two tips by clicking here.Today’s tips are all to help you conquer those Holiday parties that are the dreaded pot luck or buffet style, from the ward parties to Grandma’s house. Let’s dig in (yes, that pun was intended) and get started!
Tip #3: Eat Before You Go to the Party
The best option is to avoid temptation all together and eat before you even leave the house to head over to the party. This tip is one that I personally have continued to use even as I have hit and surpassed my original goal weight. We all have our own reasons for not being able to say no. For some of us it is because we have no willpower, for others it is simply not a priority. For me personally, it was because I did not want to hurt anyone’s feelings…then when I stopped to analyze it a little more I realized how stupid that was!! I was sacrificing my own feelings and goals to spare others from hurt feelings. But as I thought about it even more, had I ever been offended because someone had told me “No thank you”? No, of course not! So why then, did I assume that I was going to hurt someone else’s feelings over those three little words? So, whatever your reason for not being able to say no, get over it already! You are on a journey to better health, the people you choose to associate with should understand that and not place a higher priority on their homemade whatever that is than your feelings and goals. Period. So, when at all possible, eat before you get to the party.
Tip #4: Go to the Back of the Line
When eating before you hit the party scene in a no go, make sure to position yourself at the back of the line. Being in the front of the line means you will be sitting down to eat before everyone else, which means there is no one at the table to engage in a conversation with and you end up sitting there and eating. By the time everyone else gets to the table, you are already done with the food on your plate. Watching everyone else eat, you feel like you need to put more food on your plate too.
Tip #5: Go for Quality not Quantity
Make sure that the foods you choose to put on your plate are mainly good for you. Fill up your plate with veggies and fresh fruit when at all possible. Every party I’ve ever been to has had (at the very least) a veggie tray or two. Most people don’t load up on veggies at holiday gatherings, which means there is more left for you! If you do choose to splurge, make sure to limit yourself to the 2-3 dishes you don’t think you can live without. But remember to do so only after eating your veggies, and make sure to take small portions of each tempting treat you pile on. the less you pile on your plate, the less you’ll have to work off in the gym later. Think before eat. Food is meant for fueling our bodies. Choose your fuel wisely, it affects the fire within you. Your metabolism burns most efficiently when you give it clean fuel such as fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins.
Tip #6: Don’t Reach for Seconds!
You’re at the party, you’ve filled up on veggies and even tried one or two of those offerings that you didn’t feel like you could pass up. Whatever you do, DON’T go back for more! It doesn’t matter how good it tastes, I promise you that it is NOT worth it! Instead of focusing on the food, get out of the area where the food is located. Walk around and mingle with the people you went to the party to see in the first place! Create a new friendship or nurture an old friendship. The holidays are about the people you love, not the food you eat.
There is no need to let this holiday season add anything to your life other than good memories of time spent with family and friends. Make sure to check back to get the last 4 tips for beating the holiday bulge this season. See ya soon!