5 Ways To Survive The Holidays Without Packing On The Pounds
People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. ~ Anonymous
The above quote probably doesn’t reflect the title in the right manner, yet it offers food for thought! People worldwide look forward to the goodies and feasts during the Christmas season, yet complain about the difficulty in keeping their weight in check. Just because it’s that time of year where there’s plenty of food to gorge upon, doesn’t imply that we have to overeat.
Controlling your weight during the holidays isn’t as difficult as it seems. All it takes is a little conscious effort from your part. In fact, as the quote says, if this conscious effort is taken every day, you can stay in perfect shape all through the year!
Here are five wonder tips you can keep in mind in order to survive the holidays without packing all those pounds:
- Snack Before The Party And Eat From A Plate
To eat from a plate might sound obvious. But it’s important, as people have a habit of nibbling a lot at parties or while decorating the house or the tree. Make sure that you eat only while sitting at the table and in a position where you can concentrate on what you’re eating. Party snacks are often filled with salt and fat. Stay away from tempting food like chocolates, nuts and crisps. Try to replace these nibbles with low fat food like popcorn or crunchy crudités. Have a light snack before any party or major feast. And make sure this snack is healthy, like a cheese or vegetable sandwich. This will help ward off hunger pangs before the main meals. Don’t crash diet or starve yourself. Just watch what you eat. This is where eating from a plate is useful!
- Give It Away And Keep A Diary
‘Tis the season to share and give cheerfully. Do the same with your food. If you’ve got a lot of chocolates and cakes in the fridge, store just a few pieces for yourself and give the rest away to neighbors and friends. This will help you against the temptations lurking in your kitchen. Write down how much you eat each day. By keeping track this way, you can avoid overeating and feeling guilty. And once you see yourself making progress, it will motivate you to keep the same eating routine during the holidays. Accountability and the willingness to stay in touch with what you’re eating make a big difference when you’re trying to not pack on the pounds.
- Fight Those Uncontrollable Drinking Temptations
Everybody enjoys celebratory drinks during the Christmas holiday. People tend to drink a little extra during this season. However, wine, champagne and other alcoholic beverages can quickly increase your calorie intake. Limit the intake by once again eating before you go out for a drink. Have a healthy drink to give you essential nutrients. Drink a glass of water before your first drink to decrease chances of consuming too much wine if you’re thirsty. When you drink your first glass of wine, sip it slowly to make it last longer. This technique will automatically help you lower the amount of alcohol you consume.
- Have A Buddy to Join You While You’re at It
Just like having an exercise buddy who shares the same workout goals as you do, have a buddy to keep you company during the holidays. He or she can keep watch over the food you eat together and you can be accountable to each other. Christmas and New year’s is after all a time for family and friends to be together. Then why not be together on a diet plan as well? Provide each other support, prepare strategies and encourage each other at every step. It’s bound to work out well for you guys!
- Resist the buffet and don’t force yourself.
Now just because it’s a buffet, doesn’t mean you have to eat all you like. Stand as far away from it as you can after taking what you want. Put a little of everything you need on the plate in one go. Do not go for a second helping! It is also not vital that you have to finish everything on your plate. If you don’t like what you’re eating, don’t force yourself. Don’t consume calories you don’t enjoy eating. Don’t compensate for it by taking something else either. Resist eating the carbs and the foods excessively soaked in oil. Focus on foods with fewer calories in them. Decide in your mind earlier that you’re there to meet everyone and talk, and not to eat as much as you can.
This is the time of year where you can feel vulnerable to various temptations that the Holiday food can offer. Fight it with these five techniques and keep yourself in shape!
Author Bio – Vineetha Reddy
I am very passionate about nutrition, fitness, health & wellness. I strongly believe that the ingredients you find in your pantry are the best medicines that you can get. I mostly like writing based on my experiences. I like to give the best of the ideas that I come up with. Follow me on :Twitter
