Often times during the holidays we tend to eat a lot of food that isn’t really good for our health. Some people don’t seem to mind it, but others who are determined to stay on track with eating healthy find it hard to venture away from the various plates that are put in front of them. Yummy simple carbs, fats, and sugars are so tempting! I developed a small list of advice that helped me stay on my healthy journey during the holidays in 2012. I plan on using this advice this time around, as well, since it was so successful last year. I hope you find them useful and incorporate them into your decision-making process during the holiday feast(s)!
1. EAT SMALL MEALS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. One of the reasons we fill up our plates with unhealthy foods is because we “save our appetite for the big meal.” That is no bueno (not good). Starving yourself the rest of the day just to eat a lot during the feast sets you up for bingeing failure. My piece of advice would be to eat small meals throughout the day that way you are not completely starved by dinnertime.
2. EAT A PIECE OF FRUIT BEFORE THE FEAST BEGINS. Eat a small piece of fruit, such as an apple, before coming across the food galore. Fruits contain complex carbs and natural sugars, which help keep cravings at bay and not over fill your plate with unhealthy food.
3. FILL YOUR PLATE WITH VEGETABLES FIRST. Fill your plate with vegetables and salads before eating the pastas, meats, rice, desserts, etc. Eating vegetables first will fill up your stomach a bit and will help minimize the rest of your food selections.
4. DON’T DEPRIVE YOURSELF. The holidays are the times to enjoy friends and family while being surrounded by food and presents. Just because you are on a healthy journey does not mean you have to deprive yourself of the foods you love – that will just make you miserable and not enjoy your time. So go ahead and get some of that baked ziti or mashed potatoes. One unhealthy meal won’t hurt. However, make sure you are being conscious of your food choices and don’t over do it.
5. EAT SLOW. It takes our bodies about 20 minutes to signal our brains that it’s full. So while you are eating on cloud nine, be sure to savor every bite and eat slow. This will ensure that you do to not get too full.
6. WAIT ON SECONDS. In reality, you should not be hungry at this point. BUT, everyone is different. Wait a while before going back for a second helping. Sit, talk and take a break. After a while if you still feel that you want to eat some more, resort back to another helping of vegetables.
PHOTO SOURCE: http://graceskitchenessentials.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-post-thanksgiving-feast.html