How to Resist Overeating During the Holidays
It can be really easy to get carried away in the celebrations and overeat during the holidays. Sweet treats and plates overflowing with food are a common occurrence that will leave you feeling sluggish and bogged down. Here are some simple things that will help you resist overeating during the holidays and keep you balanced during parties, potlucks and buffets.
How to Resist Overeating During the Holidays
Offer to bring healthy dish that you love
Bringing something healthy that you love will guarantee that there is something healthy that you can fill your plate with. It will also give you a chance to show your friends, family or co-workers that healthy food can taste amazing! Wow your friends with my Asian Quinoa Salad or Crispy Chickpea Kale Salad.
Put all the food you want on ONE plate and really savor it
When you normally sit down to dinner, your plate isn’t overflowing with food and you rarely go back for seconds, so why do you do this during the holidays? When you are at a buffet or potluck think about what your everyday dinner plate looks like and try stick to ONE plate. While you are filling your ONE plate and eating, remember that is it about quality NOT quantity. Take the time to savor the lovingly prepared food and enjoy the wonderful company around the table instead of mindlessly shoveling food into your mouth.
The same goes for dessert; on a regular day do you usually have three slices of pie, ice-cream and a cookie for dessert? I sure hope not! If you want to try a little bit of everything, ask for really thin slices and share squares and cookies with someone else at the table. Alternatively, you can skip dessert all together and steal nibbles off your neighbors’ plates.
Ask yourself if you are hungry
After you are finished your ONE plate take a moment to evaluate your hunger levels before going back for seconds. Ask yourself:
- Am I really hungry?
- Am I just reaching for more food because everyone else is?
- Is a second helping something that will be helpful for my body in this moment?
Create an affirmation
When you are reaching for more food it can be helpful to create an affirmation to remind yourself why you are trying not to overeat. Examples include I love my body and I am nourishing my body with the best food possible or Food is plentiful and at this moment I am satiated and happy. I find the most effective affirmations are those that are personal and aligned with your goals. Before you write your affirmation, really think about your reasons for not wanting to overeat. When you are contemplating going for seconds, say the affirmation three times in your head, then decide if you still want seconds.
If you do overeat don’t beat yourself up, acknowledge it and let it go
If you do go a little crazy at a party, it’s not helpful to beat yourself up about it. Getting upset and down on yourself is not going to change the past, it will just make you even more upset. Reflecting on why you ate too much is helpful because it can help you understand why you are reaching for seconds. After thinking about it for a minute or two, letting it go is really important. Each day and each party is like a reset, it is a chance to try again.
If you are looking for sweet treats you can enjoy guilt-free, check out my cookbook Healthy Dairy Free Desserts.
