Hurdling over holiday obstacles

The holiday season produces a lot of mixed emotions. We are all excited to spend time with family and friends, yet the stress of wrapping presents and resisting food (lots and lots of food) clouds our eagerness to celebrate the holidays! 

Some of us have just perfected our eating habits to now be challenged with delicious and fatty Christmas goodies. This results in refraining from the fun food spread, bringing a container of celery sticks to munch on, and eagerly eyeing your family and friends who aren’t on a “diet."

If this is how you want to stay on track with your eating habits, go for it. All power to ya. However, I know from first-hand experience that trying to abstain from eating holiday goodies while you are, in fact, surrounded by them ALL DAY usually results in a form of self-sabotage. I’m talking about binge eating a dozen pieces of peppermint bark in your kitchen alone, in the dark, in the middle of the night.  

It is proven that this method of completely resisting food will eventually lead to binging, self-shaming, extra weight gain, and making food a bigger deal than it really is. This holiday season, don't make food the center of attention. There are tons of effortless ways to stay on track with your eating habits and still enjoy yourself at celebrations.

Try these strategies at your next holiday celebration: 

• Be Mindful. The holidays are just like any other day. Just because there is food in your home you usually wouldn’t eat, doesn’t mean your habits have to change. When enjoying hor'dourves or sitting down for Christmas dinner, really enjoy what you are eating! Try to eat a little slower than you usually would. Notice each bite of food you taste. Stay in the moment. When we don’t appreciate our food or pay attention to what we are eating, this is when we go into overdrive and eat everything in our sight in a matter of minutes. When you are mindful, you eat slower and get full faster. 

• Get active! Moving is so important, especially when consuming things that your body isn’t used to. After you eat, try going on a 15-minute walk around your neighborhood. This will aid in your digestion, improve your mood, and increase your energy levels. Make it a holiday tradition. 
  

• Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals or “saving calories” for holiday dinners usually end up in consuming more food than planned. Make sure you put something nutritious and semi-filling in your stomach at the beginning of the day. This way you will already have some nutrients, and won’t be as hungry as if you had not eaten anything at all.

• Eat everything you want. If you want to try that delicious cake, but also have been eyeing the deviled eggs, have both! Just focus on your portions. Try to make the starchy, fatty, and sugary foods small portions on your plate and the veggies and proteins the main food group. This way, you get to try everything, while still staying on track with your goals. 

• Be mindful of your drinking. Everyone knows that the more you drink, the more munchies you get. This is because decision-making abilities are the first to go when we exceed our drinking limit. If you drink during the holidays, try to swap every other drink with water. You can also limit your drinking to when you sit down for your meal. This way you have some sustenance while consuming alcohol.

• Don’t hang around the food room. We all know that at every holiday function there is a food room. It is probably the kitchen, and there is probably a huge spread of yummy goodies occupying that room. If you hang around the food room, odds are you are going to snack more than you planned. Try mingling in a different room or part of the house. This way the food is still there, but out of sight. You can always go back and get more if you want. 

In conclusion, have fun! Food shouldn’t be the center of attention. Holidays are for relaxing and enjoying the people you are closest to. If you let worries of food cloud your judgment, you don’t get to appreciate the things that really matter. Happy holidays!