During the Holiday’s it is not uncommon to put on an extra 10 pounds, which makes your New Years Resolution even harder! Here are 5 helpful tips that will keep you from over indulging this Holiday Season!
1. Knowing when to eat and not to eat
It can take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours with out food for our stomachs to start signaling the body that it is time to eat, this is our stomach telling us we are hungry. Often times we think we are hungry from our minds, this is from seeing food, smelling food or just being signaled that it’s time to eat, this is our mind telling us we are hungry. This can present a little bit of a problem and can lead to eating at the wrong times. It is important to take a step back and distinguish being hungry or just simply satisfying a craving.
2. Waiting to dish up for seconds
After we finish our first plate of food it’s often second nature to dish up seconds, just wait! It can take the body sometimes longer than 20 minutes to recognize that we are indeed full. When we don’t take our time to eat we eventually eat more food then our stomach can handle and in turn feeling too full or sick. Avoid this feeling by giving yourself time eat and also taking breaks between bites and chew food thoroughly.
3. Drink plenty of water
If you stay hydrated you will be less likely to confuse thirst with hunger and reach for a snacks instead of a glass of water. It is important to be drinking anywhere from 2-3 liters off water a day! Just remember that eggnog does not count, you may feel that you are getting enough liquid but it is extremely important to be getting just water! So remember to throw in a glass of water between those holiday cocktails!
4. Don’t skip meals
Getting ready for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner can make you want to save up your calories, but this is the wrong idea! Not eating all-day and indulging in a large meal can do more harm then good. The body needs an adequate amount of calories to keep moving through out the day and suppressing your appetite can cause your body to go into survival mode. When the body is in survival mode it is storing calories for future use. As you dive into that huge delicious meal your body will be storing as many calories as possible to ensure the body functions, as it does not know when the next meal will come.
5. Get enough sleep
During the Holidays we are get much busier with family and friends and it may be hard to get enough rest! Make it a priority to get some additional rest during these busy times. As our body starts to feel run down we deplete ourselves of vitamins and minerals and when these levels get low our cravings for more sugar and carbs tend to go up. Make sure you keep sleep on the top of your list this season!
1. Knowing when to eat and not to eat
It can take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours with out food for our stomachs to start signaling the body that it is time to eat, this is our stomach telling us we are hungry. Often times we think we are hungry from our minds, this is from seeing food, smelling food or just being signaled that it’s time to eat, this is our mind telling us we are hungry. This can present a little bit of a problem and can lead to eating at the wrong times. It is important to take a step back and distinguish being hungry or just simply satisfying a craving.
2. Waiting to dish up for seconds
After we finish our first plate of food it’s often second nature to dish up seconds, just wait! It can take the body sometimes longer than 20 minutes to recognize that we are indeed full. When we don’t take our time to eat we eventually eat more food then our stomach can handle and in turn feeling too full or sick. Avoid this feeling by giving yourself time eat and also taking breaks between bites and chew food thoroughly.
3. Drink plenty of water
If you stay hydrated you will be less likely to confuse thirst with hunger and reach for a snacks instead of a glass of water. It is important to be drinking anywhere from 2-3 liters off water a day! Just remember that eggnog does not count, you may feel that you are getting enough liquid but it is extremely important to be getting just water! So remember to throw in a glass of water between those holiday cocktails!
4. Don’t skip meals
Getting ready for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner can make you want to save up your calories, but this is the wrong idea! Not eating all-day and indulging in a large meal can do more harm then good. The body needs an adequate amount of calories to keep moving through out the day and suppressing your appetite can cause your body to go into survival mode. When the body is in survival mode it is storing calories for future use. As you dive into that huge delicious meal your body will be storing as many calories as possible to ensure the body functions, as it does not know when the next meal will come.
5. Get enough sleep
During the Holidays we are get much busier with family and friends and it may be hard to get enough rest! Make it a priority to get some additional rest during these busy times. As our body starts to feel run down we deplete ourselves of vitamins and minerals and when these levels get low our cravings for more sugar and carbs tend to go up. Make sure you keep sleep on the top of your list this season!
