Did you know that in a typical meal during the holidays you can add up to 3,000 additional calories and more than 200 grams of fat? In just one meal! (Source: https://caloriecontrol.org/popular-holiday-dishes/)
If you are like us and have met your goal of maintaining a balanced weight and exercising throughout the year, 3,000 calories in a single meal can trigger a panic alarm worthy of wanting to spend the holidays locked in a room to avoid breaking your promise in the last month of the year.
But don’t worry! There is no reason to panic. Believe it or not, eating with pleasure and keeping your figure during the holidays is possible.
At Nature’s Discount, we offer you some realistic tips to enjoy the most gluttonous time of the year. We can assure you the only extra-filling that will continue in your house next year will be the one in your cushions and not in your stomach.
Let’s start then:
1. Eat what you like, but watch your portions:
Smaller portions of food result in fewer calories for your body. Contrary to what you believe, you will feel equally satisfied as if you ate large portions of food (source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329312001188)
Even using a smaller plate will increase the feeling of eating a more abundant amount of food (source: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/684441?journalCode=jacr).
2. Make exercise a habit:
Let’s be honest, keeping gym sessions during the holidays is a bit difficult, especially if you are visiting a different place, but it’s not the only way to exercise. Take advantage of family outings to walk, plan game days, go dancing, organize bike races. The world is your gym!
Conversations around the buffet table are typical of parties, but beware! The more time you spend there surrounded by food, the more you will want to peck and continue eating, even if you are not hungry. Take advantage of those moments to enjoy a walk in the surroundings.
3. Do not save your appetite for later:
Sometimes we try to “cheat” and reduce our food portions to a minimum (or nothing) during the day to be able to treat ourselves during the night “without getting any extra inches.”
This will not only make your body lack the necessary nutrients to function properly during the day but when night comes you will eat excessively and overload your body to cope with your cravings.
4. It is not a matter of avoiding getting bigger, it is a matter of eating more consciously so you can enjoy your food without any guilt.
Eating in a smart way during the holidays will not only allow you to taste your favorite dishes, but you will also be able to keep the figure you worked so hard throughout the year and you will continue showing a radiant and healthy body (source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/tips-to-avoid-holiday-weight-gain#section11)
Enjoying the seasonal food without regrets and without losing your figure during the holidays is easier than you think.Even at the most gluttonous time of the year, at Nature’s Discount, we accompany you on the path to a healthier life.