Hooray for the festive season! To quote singer Andy Williams, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year” and meaningful in different ways to UAE’s melting pot of cultures. But traditions aside, this season is also known to sabotage what you’ve worked so hard for — your fitness. Months of toil can easily evaporate like your holiday budget and suddenly you find yourself back to square one if you’re not mindful.
Overeating and the consequent weight gain during this time of year is, as lame as this sounds, understandable and is somewhat expected as attendance to social gatherings and parties become inversely proportional to gym sessions.
While we all want to celebrate, we can agree the rabbit hole that is overindulgence is something we all want to sidestep from. So, we’re here to help you get through the holidays with minimal damage like Santa’s sneaky exit out your non-existent chimneys.
Here are five tips to keep in mind to avoid overeating this festive season.
Simply say NO
You’re at the dinner table and have had your fill. Enough is enough and there’s absolutely, positively no need to go back for yet another round at the buffet, unless a cash prize is up for grabs for the most burps. Be in control and say no. It sounds simple because, here’s a shocker, it really is!
EAT regularly
It’s common for people to start starving themselves early in the day knowing a plate full of mouthwatering chow awaits them later on. Well, that always backfires. Research shows that the eventual tendency is to overcompensate in caloric intake by who cares how many per cent once you finally get to eat. This is easily remedied by having your regular meals in place or by eating something light before heading to your event.
DRINK… water, that is.
Water helps satiate you even without food. Drinking water before, sipping during and having a glass after a meal is a life hack that should be made routine. Not only will it aid in digestion but also you’ll feel full without the burden of extra calories. So don’t sit down without it ready at your side when eating.
Use a smaller PLATE.
You know what they say about plates, the bigger they are the harder you gorge. Actually, I just made that up, but it should be a reminder like an alarm without the snooze. Don’t put yourself in a position where you’re tricked into serving a pile on your plate. Whenever possible, purposely look for a smaller plate to scoop only what you need.
Have it ALL.
You read it right, but probably understood it wrong. The buffet lures you with an array of succulent sustenance that would make your uninvited inner glutton come out to party. Guess what? You can fall into the temptation but still prevent overeating. Think a little goes a long way. Try them all but in small portions, just enough for the taste to satisfy your curiosity. Booyah!
Don’t wait for buttons to start popping, apply these tips and be the Grinch to your food binge.
Happy holidays.
