Avoid Holiday Pile Up

 

 

 

 

 

The bold, beautiful colors of fall are beginning to fade and the air is turning from chilly to downright brisk. Know what that means? The holiday season is almost upon us! It’s a great time, really. The holiday season leads way to fun with friends and family and a true sense of togetherness that sometimes seems absent throughout the year. But unfortunately, it also brings some not-so-cheerful things: Overeating and weight gain.

That’s right. When you have to wear your “eating pants” to a family event, you’re probably overindulging… just a bit. The problem with overindulging during the holidays is that it can easily turn into a food fest that lasts from mid-November until the first of January. If you’re not careful, you can pack on quite a few pounds in those seven weeks.

So, here are some tips for keeping your portion sizes under control:

Take rough measurements – You don’t have to get out a ruler or a scale, just try to keep your protein to the size of your open palm, grains to the size of your cupped hand and fruit to about the size of your fist.

Downsize your plate – With a smaller plate, you can actually trick yourself into thinking that you’ve eaten more. Plus, you’ll be less likely to get up for seconds or thirds at the risk of looking greedy.

Avoid Holiday Pile Up – Your rough measurements should keep you on track, but this one will ensure you don’t go crazy. Keep all of your food on one level. Never pile food on your plate.

Always make your own choices – If you’ve finished your food and you’re feeling full, don’t succumb to peer pressure. When Aunt Millie insists that you have another plate, explain that her food was so delicious that you’ve already eaten more than your share.

Sometimes that Aunt Millie can be tough, though. When you’re dealing with a relentless food pusher, I find it’s usually effective to say that you’re full now, but you intend to have some more later.  She will likely forget when “later” rolls around. It’s a little on the deceptive side, but at least you’ll be able to keep your pants buttoned.

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