If your holiday traditions are anything like mine, you’re in for several days of eating and drinking and generally overindulging in sweets, treats, and lots (and lots) of food with family and friends. Considering the fact that most people gain a couple pounds this time of year (and prompting that slew of New Year’s Resolutions and gym memberships), it makes sense to think about ways to mindfully enjoy the season without going overboard. So, here are a handful of tips help mitigate the overindulgence of the holiday season.
First, when you’re looking forward to a large, indulgent family meal, don’t skip meals throughout the day. Eat a nice breakfast (protein!) and make sure you stay well hydrated, especially if you’re planning to have a couple cocktails. Research shows that people who eat a healthy breakfast in the morning consume fewer daily calories overall, so don’t skip the most important meal of the day!
Large holiday gatherings often feature that buffet style feast, so it’s easy to pile your plate full two or three times and overeat. You can always trick yourself by using a smaller, cocktail size plate, or just take longer breaks between portions and listen to your body. Drink some water after your meal and wait 30 minutes or so before you indulge in dessert.
Finally, STAY ACTIVE throughout the day. Take a long walk with family or friends after your meal, or, considering the unseasonably warm weather we’re having on the East Coast this year, you could even throw on your sneakers and play a game of basketball (a raucous game of HORSE is a favorite in our house).
Whatever your strategies for maintaining your health this holiday season, remember that these tricks can be useful all year round. In this era of overindulgence, huge portions and unhealthy processed foods, skills and coping mechanisms for mindful eating are the cornerstone of good health.
From our house to yours, may you all have an amazing and healthy holiday season and happy new year.
Mollie Michel is a South Philly resident and a Philadelphia public school parent. A recovering non-profit professional, Mollie is also an experienced birth doula, Certified Lactation Counselor, and the mom of two awesome girls and a sweet pit bull named Princess Cleopatra. In her spare time, she is usually trying to figure out how Pinterest works, training for a(nother) half-marathon with her dog at her side, or simply trying to keep up with her increasingly wily daughters.