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In no particular order, here are some strategies you can try this holiday season…
Make sure you eat breakfast – Research shows that those who eat breakfast tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day.
Put the best-for-you options on your plate first – Eating things like salad or soups first can help you regulate how much you eat and help you avoid overeating when the main course is served.
After eating, get up and take a walk – Walking can speed up the rate at which you digest your food.
Go Small – Taking smaller sips and bites can trick your brain into eating 30 percent fewer calories. Studies show when you nibble your food, chew it longer, and eat slower, your brain believes you’ve eaten more than you really have.
Use smaller plates and utensils – Instead of filling up a dinner plate, try filling up a salad plate instead. Studies show people tend to eat 30 percent less using a smaller plate, and 43 percent less using smaller utensils
Bring your own healthy dish to ensure you have something healthy to eat – If you bring a plate of veggies and hummus, you know that you have a healthy option to pick from no matter what else is being served.
Eat a healthy snack before arriving at the meal – Eating something that is high in fiber and protein can help you come to the meal less “ravenous” and better able to eat mindfully.
Load up on fiber and water-rich foods – This can help prevent you from eating high-calorie foods later on in the day. A study out of Penn State suggests eating a first-course salad can reduce overall calorie intake at a meal by up to 12 percent. Fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables are high in volume and will satisfy hunger, but are lower in calories.
Listen to your body – If you feel about 80 percent full, that is your cue to stop eating.
Put some distance between yourself and munchies and unhealthy snacks – If you stand more than an arm’s length away from those types of foods it’s harder to actually eat them!
Make sure you get enough sleep – Not getting enough sleep can create an imbalance of your satiety hormones, ghrelin and leptin. A recent study found that after a short night’s sleep adults ate about an extra 300 calories and tended to choose higher-fat, higher-calorie foods.
Be wise with wine – Count 1-2-3 when pouring yourself a glass of wine, to get an estimated 5-ounce serving. Don’t rely on just filling up a glass halfway, since many glasses are half full with 10 ounces of wine, which quickly turns that 125-calorie glass into a 250-calorie one. Pour drinks into tall, skinny glasses, not the fat, wide kind. Other studies at Cornell have shown that people are more likely to pour 30 percent more liquid into squatter vessels.
Pop the mints – When you believe you have had enough to eat, mints can help you put on the brakes and keep you from wanting to eat more.
Eat with as small of a group as possible – Believe it or not, a study found when you eat with six or more people it can cause you to eat 76 percent more, most likely because meals last longer when more people are present. At a big sit-down supper, try to be the last one to start and the second one to stop eating.
Sit next to a fellow healthy eater or sit next to a slow eater.
Engage in conversation while eating – The more you talk the less food you can put in your mouth.
With family-style meals, wait until all the food is on the table and within sight. People who make their choices all at once eat about 14 percent less than do those who keep refilling their plates when each dish is passed.
Keep visual reminders of what you ate close by – When you leave your empties near you, you are less likely to eat and drink more.
Use digestive aids, such as enzymes and aloe vera juice to assist in digestion and soothe the digestive tract. We sell both of these at our office
Get chiropractic adjustments – By making sure your body’s neurology is communicating effectively, your body will be better at digesting your food and giving you satiety cues.
There you have it. hope you have an enjoyable (and comfortable) holiday with your family!
References:
https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/eat-healthy-during-holidays
https://www.eatright.org/health/lifestyle/holidays/stay-mindful-with-4-tips-for-holiday-eating
http://www.eatingwell.com/article/279488/5-diet-tips-for-surviving-holiday-parties/
Photo by Fox from Pexels
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