Studies have shown that the average person can gain 10 pounds over the holidays, and lose only half of that by the following year. Don’t fall victim to overeating—even if that lasagna looks positively mouth-watering. FN shares some tips on how you can avoid falling into the holiday food trap:1. DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF.
Go ahead and have that scoop of ice cream, that heaping spoonful of rice, or that juicy slice of lechon baka. The key is to have everything in moderation, so eat only what you know you can easily burn off later and not a spoonful more. When you choose to sit in a corner and munch on nothing but green salad and water while everyone else is enjoying the other items on the menu, you will end up feeling resentful and may end up overeating later on to compensate for your misery.
2. EAT A SNACK OR A SMALL MEAL BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR A PARTY.
It takes 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that you’re full, so having a piece of fruit or a small sandwich before you leave for that big holiday get together will tide you over until you arrive—enough to keep you from gorging on all the fattening treats at the buffet table once you get to it.
3. BE MINDFUL OF HOW MUCH YOU EAT.
You may tend to focus on chatting and laughing during shared meals with family and friends, so much so that you forget to keep track of just how many slices of cake you’ve had. Before you know it, you’ll have eaten more than the usual. Try to avoid having long and involved conversations near the table to prevent yourself from automatically reaching for another cookie.
4. CHOOSE HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES.
If available, drink unsweetened juices instead of iced teas or sodas, or choose flavored water instead of calorie-laden cocktails. Remember what health professionals say: don’t drink your calories. Pairing a soda with hearty Christmas treats like ham, creamy pastas, and sugary desserts is just a bad idea. And when heading for the buffet, choose leaner cuts of meat, and scrape the icing off the cakes to cut down on fat.
(Photo by burningkarma via Flickr Creative Commons)
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
Trending on Network
