Eat Sensibly at Christmas Parties
Five Tips for Staying on Your Diet During the Holidays
Nov 30, 2007
The Christmas holidays are a time when it seems all that hard work losing weight just flies out the window when tempted by those tempting, high-calorie holiday treats and dishes. If you’re worried about overeating or even worse, binging on Christmas food, here are some helpful tips for avoiding a holiday weight gain.
Make a Decision to Stay on Your Diet
First, you must decide that not gaining weight is really your goal. In you’re doubtful, then it won’t work. However, if you’re totally committed to staying on your food program, not allowing for any excuses, then you will succeed, even during the Christmas holidays, the most challenging time of the year for dieters.
Eat Several Small, Light meals
Many people during the Christmas holidays make the mistake of picking at their food during the day, and then overeating at night when they’re at their parties. However, this only sets you up for overeating. Instead of saving up for the party, continue to eat regular, light meals. Just before leaving for the party eat some raw veggies and drink several glasses of water so your stomach is full.
Eat Foods with a Low Glycemic Index
The glycemic index ranks foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels, measuring the amount of blood glucose increase in two to three hours after eating. While the glycemic index number is high in carbohydrates, it’s lower in foods that are rich in protein. Therefore, choose foods such as vegetables, nuts, wholegrain cereals, and whole wheat breads as these foods are absorbed slower, leaving you feeling fuller and more satisfied.
Plan Ahead
To fail to plan is to plan to fail. Before you arrive at the party, plan what you’re going to eat or not going to eat. Even if your host insists that you don’t have to bring anything, bring your own food that you know is safe. Or, if you’re asked to bring in a dozen homemade cookies for your child’s school Christmas party, don’t bake, but instead, buy cookies. This way you’ll won’t be tempted to lick the batter. If you’re worried that it doesn’t look homemade, arrange the cookies in a holiday, aluminum-foiled Christmas canister and pretend you slaved over a hot stove. No one needs to know.
Burn off Calories
Let’s face it---The more you eat, the more you should move if you want to prevent a weight gain.
- More steps---Exercise doesn’t have to be a strenuous aerobics workout. It can be something as simple as adding more steps each day. For example, instead of searching for a good parking spot at the mall, choose to park far away so you can burn up more calories. What’s more, when you’ve worked hard to burn calories, you’ll be less prone to overeat.
- Housework and Lunch Breaks---You can also burn a considerable amount of calories just doing housework or at your workplace. Instead of sitting for your entire lunch break, use half the time to take a walk when tempted to indulge in additional Christmas goodies someone brought into the office.
Finally, change your attitude. If you think you’re going to fail you probably will. However, if you tell youself that you can get through the Christmas holidays without overeating, then your chances of success are much better.
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