Motivation Monday: Staying on track during the holidays

The holidays can be a tricky time if you're trying to stick to a healthy diet or lose weight. I wrote this article a while back for one of the contracts on the wellness program I work for. They are doing a Maintain Don't Gain challenge for the holidays, and I thought I'd share the article.

Maintain Don’t Gain: Tips for navigating holiday parties in the healthiest way possible

The Holiday season is upon is which means food, food, and more food. Between the pies, hot cocoa, and appetizers at holiday gatherings, this time of year can be tricky when it comes to maintaining healthy habits. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the food table at your next holiday party.

·     Don’t arrive hungry. Eat a small protein rich snack before arriving. This will prevent you from eating out of starvation, and allow you to think before you eat. It will also keep you from filling up on carb-packed appetizers. If you do show up starving- start with the veggie tray (but go easy on the Ranch).

·     Scope out the table. Before you pick up a plate and begin filling it, take a look at everything that is available. If one of your absolute favorites is there, by all means, enjoy some. Just be sure not to over-indulge on food you aren’t crazy about. 

·     Sample Sizes.  If all of your favorites are on the table, use small portions so you can try everything without going overboard. 

·     Water, Water, Water. If you feel you must have a glass in your hand while socializing be sure to drink water. If you decide to have something else, be sure to at least alternate- every other glass should be water!

·     Beware of The Buffet Mentality. With so much food available it can be tempting to stuff yourself. Be sure to slow down as you are eating. After your first plate of food, take at least 20 minutes to relax and allow your food to digest before going back for seconds. You will probably realize what you had was enough to fill you up!