Successful Dieting During the Holidays
Jason Strotheide
The holiday season brings fun with family and friends, who come from near and far to celebrate together. However, this otherwise joyous time can be fraught with peril when you are trying to lose weight. The holidays are not only filled with festivities, but also with temptations that can lead to overdoing it in the eating department. To successfully navigate the holiday season while sticking to your diet, sheer willpower isn't enough. You need a strategy for avoiding temptation.
Wear snug clothes and keep busy:
When your clothes are snug, you are less likely to overindulge. If you keep a beverage, such as a glass of iced tea garnished with a slice of festive fruit, in your dominant hand, you are less likely to grab snacks or nibble on appetizers. In addition, don't hover over the buffet or linger around the dinner table. Once you have finished your meal, leave the lures of the table or buffet behind to socialize with other guests.
Don't skip meals:
As much as possible, stick to your scheduled
**The holidays are not only filled with festivities, but also with temptations that can lead to overdoing it in the eating department.99
mealtimes during the holidays, particularly when going to parties. On the day of the party, plan your meals so that you don't arrive hungry and ready to give way. This will keep you from making unsuitable choices in the event that there are no appropriate options for you on the buffet table. Even though snacking is generally discouraged, having a small snack of free vegetables and salsa in advance can keep you from diving into the appetizers when you arrive at holiday gatherings.
Survey your surroundings:
Instead of heading straight to the buffet table, survey your surroundings. Arm yourself with a beverage, wait 30 minutes before eating, and scope out the buffet table to determine the foods you can eat.
Remember, a buffet table screams overeating, so move along it carefully and make wise choices.
Skip the appetizers:
If you can, avoid appetizers completely. If you must snack, munch on veggies such as cucumbers and celery with a little salsa. Stand more than an arm's length away from the buffet table so that you are not tempted to eat mindlessly while socializing.
Remember that less is more:
Research shows that variety stimulates appetite, so put only two items on your plate at a time. You may make as many trips to the buffet table as you like as long as you stay within your plan. Picking only two items each time helps you avoid overeating or choosing something that is not right for you.
Prepare for potlucks:
If you're invited to a potluck, you have the option of bringing something you know you can eat. For example, prepare some grilled meats such as chicken or beef skewers with roasted vegetables. For a side, bring along some salsa or marinara dip. And don't forget to Include a fruit salad for dessert.
Make your food preferences known:
These days there are so many people with dietary restrictions, such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and tree nut-free, that most hosts will have numerous dishes for their guests. In an ideal situation, the host and guest will already be wellacquainted and any discussion of your diet will be unnecessary or at least not awkward. At a large, buffet-style gathering, you can usually find some vegetables or protein while avoiding any heavy sauces that may accompany them. If it is a smaller affair, however, your options may be severely limited. Take a cue from the Emily Post institute which advises that special needs should be communicated in advance. You can discreetly respond to an invitation with something like "I am on a special diet. I'd love to bring some baked fish or a vegetable side dish if that's okay with you." Then, ask the host if there is a particular dish along these lines that will complement the rest of the menu.
Take your mind off food:
Concentrate on connecting with family and friends, not on food. Many holiday get-togethers revolve around the dinner table and food, but the root of most holiday traditions are the bonds we build with family and friends. Start some non-food traditions by playing charades, watching videos, or exchanging photos. Take a walk with someone you haven't seen in a while. A gentle twenty minute walk and talk is not only exercise, but it will take
ííYou con discreetly respond to on invitotion with something like "I om on o speciol diet. I'd love to bring some boked fish or o vegetoble side dish if thot's okoy with you.33
your mind off food. Social activities like these will not only keep you on your diet but also create fond memories.
Deck the halls:
Getting your holiday decorations out and trimming the tree with family is a good way to avoid overeating. A gift wrapping party, caroling, and watching a holiday parade or fireworks are also fun alternatives that don't revolve around food.
Plan your trips to the mall:
Shopping is unavoidable during the holiday season but a carefully planned trip doesn't have to destroy your diet. Choose your route carefully so as not to pass the candy store, bakery, or ice cream shop. Their sights and smells are meant to tempt you to eat and the aromas can make saying no seem impossible. Don't go the mall hungry, but if you do decide to eat, choose a restaurant where you can customize your meal to fit the ChiroThin plan.
De-stress when necessary:
The festivities surrounding the holidays can create stress which can disrupt your diet. Take time to unwind and decompress with some simple stretching or by meditating. Recent research has shown that after a night short on sleep, women may feel less full after eating and men tend to have bigger appetites, so be sure to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, especially the night before a holiday party.
Holiday food and parties may be hard to avoid, but remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. If you are careful and choose wisely, you can make it through the season with your diet intact. You may find that you have forged new bonds with loved ones and created new traditions that do not revolve around food.
Dr. Jason Strotheide is a 1993 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic and is the founder and CEO of ChiroNutraceutical™ and the Doctor Supervised ChiroThin Weight Loss Program™. With nearly 40,000programs sold in the U.S. and Canada, ChiroThin has the distinction of being the #1 weight loss program exclusively for Chiropractic offices. For more information or to find a ChiroThin office near you, go to www.ChiroThinWeightLoss.com
