Eat Before You Go: Do not arrive on an empty stomach, you'll be more vulnerable to filling up on unhealthy food, and more of it. Have a fiber and protein filled snack before you go to help curb hunger and cravings.
Socialize A: Make sure to center yourself away from food to socialize, that way you can focus on talking instead of eating.
Socialize B: Commit to prioritizing people over food before you leave your house. Move on from focusing on food and go to holiday gatherings for the people, your relationships, and the experiences.
Help the Host: Offer to help serve drinks and food so you spend less time tempted to eat and/or eating the food. It will give you a chance to mingle and the host will appreciate it too!
Wear Your Tighter Clothes: Avoid the elastic waistband and oversized sweater that allow you to eat even more. You want to fit into your clothes after the holidays are over, so wear them when you go out.
Choose Your Food & Move On: Be disciplined and commit to yourself and your goals. Choose what type of food you're going to eat before you get there, whether it be apps, or desert, make a plan and be honest. Don't graze. Choose your food, eat once and enjoy it, then put it behind you and enjoy your company.
Use a Salad Plate at the Buffet: Using a salad plate will help with portion control and force you to only put on your plate what you actually want. No stacking food either.
Food for Thought:
With the exception of possibly overeating, there would be nothing to worry about if the food being served was simply good for you. Check out these healthy appetizers to bring or serve or these Pinterest Pinboards: Party Healthier and Healthy Appetizer Recipes to help
create healthy party environments.
create healthy party environments.
To Combat Unhealthy Options:
Bring Something: The safest way to make sure there's something healthy to eat at a party is to bring it yourself! The host will thank you too! Here are some healthy appetizers to bring or serve!
Choose the Healthy Options: If there are healthy options there, then choose them. Chances are, there will be a fruit or veggie plate there, enjoy them guilt-free!
Watch What You Drink: Make water your go-to drink. Why add the extra calories (mostly high in sugar) just from your drink. If you choose a drink that's not water, just have one, or alternate 2 glasses of water for 1 glass of the other, but always skip the soda entirely. Apply the alternating water and drink rule for alcoholic drinks as well, your waistline and liver will thank you, and you'll have a better morning the next day.
Make Your House Healthier: Make an extra effort during the holidays to avoid unhealthy food when you're not at a party or gathering. To help accomplish this, clean your house of all the junk and stock up on fruits and veggies so if you feel like snacking, you have only healthy options. This will help avoid 30 days of unhealthy habits building up before the new year.
Be Mindful of Your Alcohol Intake: First, always remember that alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbs or protein. Mixed drinks tend to have high amounts of concentrated sugar and quickly add empty calories. Try a wine spritzers where you can simply add club soda, a splash of cranberry and a squeeze of lime and drink more of them over a longer period of time for far fewer calories. Watch your mixers. Avoid milk based drinks and ones with several sugary liquors. Be mindful of what you're adding and remember club soda adds no extra calories and goes great with some freshly squeezed lime juice! For more ideas check out this Pinboard: Party Healthier
Pick One or the Other: Identify your cravings and then make a strategy. If you're eyeing several unhealthy options, just pick one and leave the others behind.
Don't Take Leftovers Home and Always Give Your Leftovers Away. Enjoy the food at the party and leave it there. Each day you have a choice to make sure your taking steps towards reaching your goals, so leave the party food at the party and start each day fresh and ready for success.
Be Last In Line: Visually, food is always more appealing untouched. Don't let your mind play tricks on you, wait until people have taken their servings first, that way some of the food will be less appealing helping you to decipher what you actually want.
Most importantly, enjoy yourself and the people you're with and
don't beat yourself up over decisions you make.
Come up with a game plan before you get there and try to stick with it.
