Recently, I was getting fitted for my wedding dress. The young woman who was taking my measurements (and helped me pick out the wedding dress of my dreams) was chatting with me about holiday eating. I had mentioned that I will very soon be a Registered Dietitian, she asked me a question that I'm sure everyone thinks about and ponders this time of year: "How do you eat what you want and still keep your figure over the holidays?"
What a great question! And is certainly one that is on most everyone's mind. Even sometimes I struggle with this. But I would like to share some things that I do over the holidays that make me feel a bit better about what I eat and the choices I make.
Usually this situation comes up when you are attending a party or get-together. The first thing I do when I get to a party, is grab something to drink. I know what your all thinking..."what a lush!" But this doesn't have to be an alcoholic drink. Most of the time people get to a party and immediately start filling up on whatever food is sitting out without even looking at it. This can be a big mistake! What if the food isn't even that good? Or what if its something you don't even like? But because you were starving yourself all day for the party and were so hungry when you got there, you just gorged on empty calories from a food that you wish you hadn't even seen. So, step one: get a drink! Take a few sips, chat with some people, take a look at the spread and make a good decision.
My favorite motto for a party or for anytime during the holiday season is: taste everything, eat nothing. Now, I know that sounds pretty harsh, but hear me out. There are so many choices of different foods at parties over the holiday season and I know most people want to try it ALL. But that doesn't mean you need to have a plateful of each food. First of all, check out the spread. If there is something on the table you absolutely don't want to eat, or doesn't look good, then don't! But if there are multiple foods you would like to try, take a small bite (and I mean ONE BITE) of each and just taste them. This way, you can taste everything you really want, but you don't actually "eat" all of it.
Okay, so now that you've tasted all that you really wanted to taste, you are really craving more of those amazing cheesecake bites that were absolutely scrumptious. You know that if you walk over there to grab a couple more of them, you will end up taking five cheesecake bites plus two platefuls of dips, cheeses, and salty treats. So, take a moment. Usually when you have a craving for something, distracting yourself can make you forget the circling thoughts of those cheesecake bites. Grab another glass of wine or water, find someone to chat with, and after a few minutes you may not even remember those sugary sweets. But what if you still are? Well, then it may be the best to go grab another one. Otherwise, you may not be able to stop thinking or obsessing over those little cheesecakes, and it may be best to quench that true craving. This is what I usually do to try to curb the calories during the holiday season. Maybe you already have your own system that works for you, and thats great! Just remember, that even if you do overindulge a few days during the holiday season, it won't kill you! Usually the weight fluctuations of a pound or two over a couple of days isn't true fat pounds, it is water weight. One pound of weight gain is equal to an extra 3500 kilocalories. That would equate to an extra 500 kilocalories a day for a week to gain that one true pound of fat.
So, don't get overly stressed about eating over the holidays, and let yourself have fun. Enjoy this holiday season!!
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