Eating Tips for the Holidays

Holidays and family get-togethers are a time for celebration and joy with all the delicious amounts of food on the family table. Here are some healthy tips to keep in mind for the holiday season and the many holiday seasons to come with family and friends.

1. Eat before dinner: Don’t arrive on an empty stomach! Going to the table hungry will make you more likely to choose larger portion sizes. Many people might be tempted to skip lunch, so they can have room for dessert. However, that it a bad idea; skipping breakfast or lunch may cause you to overeat and consume more calories than you would if you had eaten something beforehand. A light snack or a piece of fruit before dinner is a good idea.

2. Eat slowly: Take time and enjoy the taste of your meal. Also, make a mental checklist of how much you’re consuming. Your full stomach won’t tell you exactly when to stop eating. It usually takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you’re full.

3. Watch your portions: Savor the good stuff! Watch your calories. Only eat the ones you really want. Select small portions. Having small portions can prevent you from over eating. It’s also a good stuff to make a healthy dish to go along with all the servings that are high in fat, sugar and calories.

4. Eat the special stuff: Don’t let those special holiday treats like Grandma’s special pumpkin pie, slip away from you. Enjoy them while they’re only served during the holidays. So be sure to fill your plate with small portions of holiday favorites that only come around once a year. Be careful not to eat large portions of food you can eat every day.

5. Don’t just sit around: Leave the table when you are done! There are many ways to spend time with family than just sitting around eating. You might be tempted to continue eating even if you are not hungry if you linger around the table. Go for a walk or get a game of touch football going after dinner. You can also burn off a few calories just by helping to clear the table and or wash the dishes.

Try to make the holiday season more about the family and friends than the splurging all that tempting food on the table. The holiday season is a time to think of your friends and family. You’ll be thankful if you did, not only for the holiday spirit but your health as well.