Beating The Holiday Bloat

As Thanksgiving is only a few days away and Christmas is right around the corner, I thought I would share with you all today some of my personal secrets to staying in shape and on track throughout the holiday season. True, it’s much easier right now to indulge in both good food and drink, and sometimes those indulgences are very, very worth it. However, when it comes to grazing at the office party dessert table or mindlessly sucking down another cosmo while chatting with coworkers, the indulgence is usually not worth the extra jean size or post-party bloat. Here some tips from me to you on how I beat the winter weight gain.

Eat a substantial snack before heading out.

Filling up on a nutrient-rich snack will leave you in a much better spot when it comes to snacking on high calorie treats at the party. Eating something that combines a healthy ratio of complex carbs and lean protein will make least likely to pick up those mini sliders or meatballs. My favorite pre-party snack is a Gardenburger veggie burger on an Arnold’s Sandwich thin. Or, a banana with almond butter, carrot sticks and hummus or whole wheat toast with all natural peanut butter and jam.

Give yourself a drink limit and stick to it.

It’s just way too easy to overdrink at parties if you’re not careful. Wine goes down really quickly, especially when you are chatting and an open bar is in sight. My best advice is alternate cocktails with seltzer water and then cut yourself off (or have a friend cut you off!) after two. Drinking is the number one way that the pounds creep  up on you and after a few, you are far more likely to indulge in treats you normally wouldn’t eat when sober. (read: alcohol lowers your inhibitions in more ways than one)

Play the sides game.

True fact: most of the “healthy” food at buffets is located around the sides of the table, whereas the rich stuff is in the center. Take your plate and do an even swoop around the table, where the raw veggies tend to be found. Other good choices include cheese (careful not to eat too much of it though!), whole grain crackers and grilled vegetables.

Don’t beat yourself up!

We all do it and reap the consquences the next morning. You’re only human and chances are, you will overindulge at one point or another this holiday season. There’s no point in working yourself all up over it though. Repeat after me: today is a new day. The most important thing was that you enjoyed  yourself and can see past it in the morning. My favorite way to rid the overindulgence bloat is to seek out a Bikram yoga class to sweat out all the toxins. I’ll also eat lightly the day after, not because I feel guilty, but because I’m just not that hungry. Lots of smoothies, fruit and veggies. You can’t totally ruin any diet in one night so there’s no reason to beat yourself up over it!

Cheers!