I know that when someone mentions the holidays to me, my mind immediately jumps to FOOD! Now that we are in the midst of exams and Winter Break is literally right around the corner, we have lots of food to look forward to: candy canes, sugar cookies, ginger bread, yum, yum, yum. Unfortunately, if we do not get our bodies moving over the holiday season, we will only see some unattractive roundness grow around our hips and upper thighs. I know that the holidays are supposed to be about relaxing, and so the last thing we want to hear is someone telling us to hit the gym.
Instead of hitting the gym, though, there are a handful of other tricks out there to make sure that we do not over eat this holiday season.
1. Out of Sight Out of Mind
Try to indulge during your meals and to refrain from snacking on unnecessary Christmas sweets throughout the day. I know in my household, there are bowls of mint M&M’s in every room that are my Christmas enemy. As long as I make sure that I cannot see the M&M’s, I am not tempted to eat them. Let’s try to make a conscious effort this break to put all the Christmas sweets away after our meals so that we do not feel tempted to snack on them throughout the day.
2. Portion Control
With everything that will be served at dinnertime we do not need to be taking large handfuls of each. Instead, try to take a spoonful of the items you do not like as much to save room for what you enjoy most. Another tip to manage portion control is to drink a large glass of water about 20 minutes before each meal, which leads me to my next trick…
3. Stay Hydrated
Often we mistake hunger for dehydration. If you are feeling really hungry, drink a full glass of water. You will be surprised how a glass of water can really satisfy you. If you are still hungry after drinking water, then you’ll know for certain that you need a snack.
4. Eat Until You are 80% Full
Don’t eat until you are stuffed this break. Sticking to this advice is a great way to manage your weight this holiday season. Eat slower, take smaller bites, and try to limit how much you snack.
5. Take a Walk With Friends
I am sure that many of us will be with family and friends this break, either travelling or at least at home with more free time than usual. Fill this time up with fun and active activities rather than sitting in front of the TV. It is so important to keep your body moving on a daily basis. Try going sledding, cross-country skiing, or have a snowball fight if you are somewhere where there is snow. If you are in a warmer place this break, maybe go for a hike, a walk on the beach, or swimming.