One of the things I love about Christmas is meeting up with family & friends and having some yummy food!
The food temptation for me starts way before Christmas though: suddenly I can spot my beloved marzipan and other European sweets in many shops – how can I resist!
While I believe occasional indulgence is totally fine, I often hear clients complain that they have to lose weight & detox in the New Year, because they over-indulged.
Let’s see what we can do to keep things in check.
Mindful eating will help you to truly enjoy your meals while improving food choices and calories:
Slow down – celebrations often last for hours, so you’ve got lots of time to enjoy. It can take up to 20 minutes for your body to feel full after starting to eat. Take small bites, chew your food (30 times is recommended) and put down your fork between bites.
While eating, check with your body if you are full and if the food is satisfying. Listen to the
‘I am full’ message and stop eating.
Eat your favourite food last.
A study suggests that you remember the last food eaten the best. This prevents you from eating more later because the experience is still fresh in your mind.
Take a complete tour of the buffet before choosing your food. According to a research, the first 3 items in a buffet are likely to make up 65% of your plate just because you see them first. This does not leave much space for food you would have preferred to eat and makes a second helping more likely.
If you need more holiday tips, check out these: