Thanksgiving, Easter, the 4th of July, and the rest of the holidays have one thing in common: delicious food. You start to imagine the sumptuous aroma of prime rib and turkey recipes or the sweetness of unlimited pecan pies on the table. But you are turned between celebrating the rare chance of binge eating or holding back for fear of weight gain.
Even people without an eating disorder worry too much about holidays because the urge to overeat becomes out of control. It is best to plan so that you won’t worry about ditching your diet and having to get a binge-eating disorder treatment plan for your excess pounds later. Here are some practical approaches to attending food-filled holiday parties.
- Eat before you drink and celebrate
Skipping breakfast or prior meal is a popular strategy that people practice whenever a holiday feast is approaching. This is to save their appetite for that long-awaited family dinner on the eve of Thanksgiving. Do not follow the trend. Skipping a meal activates your body’s survival mode, which causes it to crave food even more and ultimately causes you to finish a large plate in a matter of minutes.
- Stop the sedentary habit
The cold winter days during the Christmas holiday trigger your sedentary behavior. If you let the cold weather take over, you will end up curling on your couch all day and resort to emotional eating to warm your body. Get out and walk around the neighborhood to check the Christmas lights and holiday decor. Stop shopping online and buy your Christmas presents in the mall. Give the shopping carts a break and hand-carry your heavy shopping bags. Instead of indulging in extra calories, fight the cold by doing 30 minutes of physical activities. If you don’t have straight 30 minutes in your schedule, you can divide your routine into three 10-minute sessions.
- Avoid Sugar and Choose Protein
Sure, the gingerbread cookies and apple cakes are painfully hard to resist, but their sugar content is one of the culprits of weight gain. Shift your craving to that protein-rich roasted chicken because it will give you a lasting feeling of satiety.
- Indulge in alcohol moderately
Most holiday beverages (sodas, alcohol, fruit drinks) contain high amounts of sugar and calories. Before going to a party, decide on how many glasses of wine or alcohol you will have. Stay committed to your promise, and don’t be shy to say no to tempting offers politely.
- Don’t rush
The dishes on the buffet table are tempting your taste buds, but restrain yourself from chewing quickly. Slow down and savor the flavor of your Grandma’s famous tamales. When you eat at a fast pace, you give less time for your body to register fullness. Thus, you tend to consume more food.
- Give a chance to fiber
With numerous options, you might ignore the vegetable platter that is high in fiber. It’s not a secret that fiber makes us feel fuller. Veggies will fill you up and stop you from craving for more.
Don’t let your fear of gaining extra pounds stop you from enjoying the holidays. With the right planning, strategies, and discipline, you will never worry about celebrating the holidays again.
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