Holiday parties and celebrations can really provoke weight gain, but finding that balance between what you consume and what you expend may be easier than you think. Try following just these few simple ideas at your next holiday meal to help you with your weight management efforts:
- Drink at least eight ounces of water within the thirty minutes prior to your holiday meal. And, drink more water during the meal itself. This will help you to feel full faster.
- Go for a walk early in the day to raise your metabolism and burn off extra calories. If the weather doesn’t accommodate, then try some easy in-home exercises that elevate your heart rate. Just ten or fifteen minutes can burn off 50 to 100 calories, and will help to improve heart health.
- Chew your food slowly and savor the flavor! Aside from the psychological benefit of enjoying the taste, this will have a physiological effect that will create more satiety, thereby allowing you to fill up more quickly.
- Take more time between bites to let your food settle. This, also, is likely to find you consuming fewer calories in a meal. It will also give you more time for conversation.
- Set a restriction on your dessert and stick to it. Whether you choose to limit the size of the dessert or the type of dessert, set a compromise that you can be happy with – one that reduces your indulgence without making you feel unsatisfied. This is where “moderation” plays a heavy role!
