Maintaining a healthy diet is difficult enough under normal circumstances, but with the holidays approaching, a calorie disaster may be a buffet table away. Don’t panic—with these tips from Cutter Automotive Galleries, you can make continue to eat right during the holidays and prevent yourself from tipping the scales come New Year’s Day.
Use the Buddy System
Having a buddy who shares your goals can help you keep your diet on track during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Find a family member or a friend who also wants to continue eating right during the holidays. Make an agreement to encourage each other to stick to your goals and support each other during weak moments.
Stick with three meals a day
During the holiday season, it can often seem like treats and goodies are everywhere, all the time. Having the occasional treat is certainly acceptable, but unlimited access to cookies and candies throughout the day can throw off your usual meal schedule. As much as possible, continue to eat three squares daily, and you won’t be as tempted to overindulge between meals.
Don’t attend holiday parties on an empty stomach
It may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s a good idea to have a little snack an hour or so before a big holiday party or meal. If you start off feeling slightly hungry but not ravenous, you are less likely to overeat. Because fiber-rich foods are healthy and help you to feel sated, try eating a salad of raw fruits or vegetables or have a slice of low-fat, whole-grain bread with peanut or almond butter before events.
Learn how to work a buffet
When it comes to holiday diet pitfalls, nothing is quite so tricky (or as ubiquitous) as the buffet. The main thing to avoid is piling your plate with loads of food and then helping yourself to seconds and maybe thirds. Instead, whether you’re sitting at a table or walking a buffet line, start with a small plate and be sure to add a few healthy choices, if possible. Spend time socializing, walk around, drink some water, and then if you are still hungry, go back and help yourself to a little more. Not only will your digestive system thank you for not overloading it, but you will also feel more satisfied without the temptations of binging.
Balance your holiday food choices
One of the most important tips for how to eat right during the holidays is simple—and it comes down to simply balancing your food choices. If you absolutely must have your grandma’s sausage stuffing at Thanksgiving, then try to balance those calories by avoiding a double-wide piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream or by passing on the buttered dinner rolls. You can splurge, but do so sensibly by balancing the number and kind of calories you eat at each holiday meal.
Watch what you drink
Who can resist a glass of bubbly during a Christmas toast? There’s no reason to give it up, but just be smart about the calories contained in each glass, and avoid other sugar-loaded drinks. For example, a glass of red wine has fewer calories than a dark beer or sugary cocktail. Limit consumption by drinking a full glass of water between any alcoholic beverages. Keep in mind, too, that alcohol dehydrates your body, which helps to make you feel hungry.
Substitute healthy ingredients
If you’re the one in the kitchen, you already know that it takes a lot of willpower to do the holiday cooking without overindulging in ingredients like sugar and butter. Whenever possible, try to use low-calorie substitutions that don’t change the texture or flavor of your favorite holiday dishes. For example, the sugar in most sweet baked goods can be reduced by up to 50% without negatively impacting the finished results. You can intensify flavor by adding vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg. Choose low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions of soup and broth, and reach for low fat or fat free milk over the full fat variety.
Eating right during the holidays is always easier said than done. But with a little willpower and these realistic strategies, you can do it. You’ll feel much better knowing that you can still fit into your favorite jeans in January.
