10 Ways to Eat Less During the Holidays

I am a BIG grazer {I like to blame it on low blood sugar}.  I grab this or that as I pass through the kitchen–and I pass through the kitchen a lot.  All that grazing can add up, though, even if it is healthy whole foods.  Now that the holiday party season is right around the corner, it’s time to adopt some healthier habits. {Better late than never, right?}.  If you are looking to keep those extra holiday pounds at bay, here’s a couple of tips:

1. Use smaller plates.  Since most of us eat with our eyes as well as our mouths, smaller plates {think:  salad plates} are an easy way to trick our eyes into thinking we have a heap of food.
2. Make sure to include protein in your breakfast.  Guess your mother was right, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day, and including a protein helps control your appetite.
3. Slow down.  Chew slowly and deliberately.  You can inhale a lot of food before you brain has a chance to tell you you’re full.  Make a concerted effort to eat slowly.
4. Stop when you’re 80% full.  Apparently the Japanese culture even has a name for this tip:  hara hachi bunme.  It reminds them to stop eating before they feel full to allow their body time to register their satisfaction level.
5. Drink water, tea or coffee {without cream and sugar, of course}.  Drinking your calories is expensive and packs a wallop without really providing your body much by way of nutrition.  Plus, have you ever felt full after a glass of juice?  I haven’t.
6. Start your meal with soup or salad.  Soups and salads are typically less calorie dense and can fill you up before you get a chance to over-indulge on the main course.  I like the idea of having a multi-course meal anyway, it’s very Downton Abbey.
7. Keep snacks out of sight.  Take them off of the counter and tuck them away somewhere out of sight in the pantry.  Studies show that people who had no intention of snacking see it, and then convince themselves they are hungry.  {Guilty!}
8. Split a meal at a restaurant.  Restaurant portions are usually way more than we should be eating anyway.  Split your meal–and then you don’t have to forego going out altogether.
9. Eat real food.  Real food rarely has a nutrition label.  Celery, cucumbers, apples, etc. all provide your body with nutrients, and are relatively low in calories {compared to boxed crackers, etc.}
10. Satisfy your sweet tooth smarter.  Make baked apples with cinnamon or a fruit and yogurt parfait, instead of a box of cookies.

I’m sure there are tons of simple ways to change your eating habits and your waistline without feeling deprived–do YOU have any tips?

~Mavis