If you’re like me, you love spending the holidays in New York, NY. The town is alive with holiday decorations everywhere and the smell of delicious food coming from every doorway. It’s easy to pack on the weight during the holiday times, but it’s not necessary if you take a few precautions. You can enjoy the holidays and all they have to offer without gaining those extra pounds. You just have to make a few small changes and be more aware of what you eat.
Stick with a schedule.
You need adequate sleep and don’t forget to exercise. Both can help you maintain your holiday spirit and keep extra weight at bay. Exercise helps eliminate stress hormones and slow the potential for stress eating. It also burns tons of calories. It may be hard to maintain your sleep schedule with all the extra work holidays require and parties to attend. Make it a top priority. Lack of sleep increases the hunger hormone ghrelin and diminishes the one that makes you feel full leptin. When you have adequate sleep, you’ll be less prone to overeating.
Share your treats.
New York is a melting pot of ethnicity and the food at the holiday times proves it. It’s difficult to choose from babka, Bûche de Noël, melomakarona, kieflies, or other ethnic sweet treats, let alone the other high-calorie holiday foods. If you have several friends who don’t want to overindulge, each person can order a treat and share by cutting them into bite-size pieces. Everyone gets a taste test without overindulging.
Slow down and prioritize.
That’s good advice for everyone, whether you’re fighting the battle of the bulge or not! You can prioritize tasks to help prevent stress and prioritize the food you put on your plate. Start by filling your plate with a large salad. Take smaller amounts of higher-calorie food and save them for last. Eat slowly, chewing each bite until it’s liquid in your mouth. That slow pace gives your stomach time to signal to the brain that it’s full. Savor every bite, noting the texture and taste. It’s called mindful eating and can help reduce the amount you eat at every meal.
- Don’t deny yourself a treat that you only get once a year. Just don’t do it often. Keep portion size in mind and enjoy every bite. You don’t have to feel deprived. Stop eating when you’re full.
- Take a walk after dinner with the family. It could start a new tradition. Walking helps digestion. Make it a brisk walk to burn a few extra calories. You might be surprised how many people love doing it.
- Drink a big glass of cold water about twenty minutes before mealtime. Studies show people eat less when they do. The water fills them without adding extra calories. If it’s cold, it burns a few calories.
- Don’t skip any meals on the day of your celebration, especially if there are high calorie treats for grazing. Eat something light and healthy before you leave the house so you’re not ravenous when you arrive.
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