Getting Through the Holidays
The holidays can be a difficult time for weight loss patients. Here are a few tips for making it through the holidays without falling off track.
- Bring a dish: If you’re not preparing the meal yourself, ask your host if it would be alright to bring a dish that meets your needs. Consider bringing a low carb app or low-carb dessert.
- Have support: Talk to a fellow patient or support person before your holiday parties or dinner. Plan to give each other moral support throughout the festivities.
- Drink plenty of water/sugar-free drinks: Water helps control your appetite by making you feel fuller.
- Don’t go hungry: Don’t go to dinner starving. Eat a healthy breakfast and a high protein snack before going. You’re less likely to overeat if you’ve got your appetite under control.
- Fill up on healthy vegetables and foods first: While no food needs to be off limits, make it a goal to eat healthy foods first. This will help to minimize your intake of less nutritious foods.
- Practice mindful eating: If you eat slowly, you shouldn’t feel the need to go for seconds. If you’re being pressured by your host to take seconds, politely say, “No.”
- Stop eating when you are almost full: Wait at least 20 minutes before eating more. If you’re going to have less nutritious foods, eat smaller portions. This will allow you to enjoy your food – and party – more.
- Beware of liquid calories: Skip seasonal beverages. Hot chocolate, pumpkin spice lattes, eggnog, and apple cider are a quick and easy way to take in loads of extra, empty calories. Try a hot cup of green or herbal tea.
- Be careful with alcohol intake: While alcohol should be avoided during your weight loss journey, if you are to have a drink, set a limit. Alcohol intake can lead to poor food choices and overeating. When in doubt, substitute your alcoholic drink for a non-alcoholic one.
- Take a walk: Instead of crashing in front of the TV after dinner, try going for a walk. This will help to burn off some extra calories from your holiday meal.
- Use the smallest plate possible: A smaller plate for your food will make it look like you’ve got more there. It’s hard to keep track of how much food you’re eating when you nibble without using a plate. Serving meals and snacks on a plate will help you avoid the mindless hand-to-mouth munching that can add lots of extra calories.
- Focus on family/friends: During socializing, focus on sharing time with your friends and family other than sharing desserts and hot chocolate. During get togethers spend the majority of the time talking and discussing events and interesting topics with your loved ones.
- Have a taste: We all have our favorite holiday treats. Have a small piece or a taste, so you don’t feel deprived.
- Set achievable goals: Focus on maintaining rather than losing weight, If weight loss does not feel attainable, setting more realistic goals can help maintain motivation and keep you on the right track past the holiday season.
- Remember the importance of sleep: Lack of sleep can impact your metabolism and can lead to less impulse control (think less sleep = more cookies) so it’s important to make sure you get good, restful sleep during this busy time of the year.
