If It’s Not Your Fave, Leave It Be
Picking favorites can be hard, but registered dietitian Shena Jaramillo explains that this is one of the best methods to control your holiday eating. She says, “Don’t commit to food that is less than the best. Chances are there are a lot of holiday goodies lingering. Only go for the best ones!”
While you may be tempted to sample one of everything on the dinner table, you’ll be able to enjoy yourself more when you know you’re consuming only the foods that you truly love. It’s easy to indulge in empty calories simply because that tray of cookies is sitting right in front of you, but being selective means making the most of your meals while still staying on track.
Listen To Your Body
You should always try to listen to your hunger cues when you’re eating, but around the holidays it’s especially important to know when to stop eating. Jaramillo advises, “Rate your hunger routinely throughout the day and throughout the meal. A rating of 1 would be shaky from hunger and a 10 would be uncomfortably full. Try to stay between a 4-7 at all times of the day.”
If you’re regularly pushing your limits of how much you can eat, odds are, you’ll not only feel sick and bloated, but you’ll also be consuming way more than what fits within your calorie deficit. Listening to your body is key for lasting weight loss, even outside of the holiday season.
Stay Active
It may be the last thing you want to do when you’re stuffed from a busy day of eating, but keeping active during the holidays is important for burning off a few extra calories and ensuring you can still meet your deficit for weight loss, even with the abundance of food. Jaramillo says even a short walk or exercise video will do your body some good, and while you don’t need to be performing at full intensity, even just modifying your workout routine to fit your holiday schedule is better than nothing at all.
Keep The Holidays To One Day
November and December are notorious for good leftovers and an overwhelming amount of treats in the kitchen at all times. As delicious as that may be, it’s also a recipe for overindulging, so Jaramillo recommends keeping the holidays just to the single day. She says, “Oftentimes goodies can linger for days or even weeks post holiday. Divide them up and split among guests or friends and freeze treats like brownies or cake to have at a later date.”
Just because the food is available to you, doesn’t mean you always have to eat it. You can still enjoy your day and the food that comes with it, without the implications blurring into the rest of your month.
Don’t Starve Yourself!
While trying to lose weight over the holidays can feel like an overwhelming task, Jaramillo says that the last thing you should do is starve yourself, especially leading up to a big meal. She explains, “This is the best way to overindulge and consume a greater number of calories than you would otherwise through the day.”
It may be tempting to try to “save your calories” and use them up at the big feast, but you’ll be so hungry by the time dinner is served that you’ll be more apt to overindulge instead of eating a normal amount. If you have a small to normal sized breakfast and lunch on the day of the festivities, it will be easier to control yourself around the delicious food that comes later.