The holidays are a great time to spend with your friends and family. Sitting around a table and reminiscing over the past and catching up can be both fun and exciting. Not to mention, you get to enjoy good food with one another. The problem is that the holidays are generally a time when there’s too much indulgence. As a result, you can overeat or consume too many calories. This is why a lot of people end up gaining weight over the holidays. While studies show there is certainly weight gain, it’s generally not as bad as it’s made to seem [1]. Still, it’s best to not gain any weight at all. If you are one of the many who gain weight over the holidays, there are things you can do to eat healthier and still enjoy yourself. Here are some of the best tips to implement healthy eating over the holiday.

Top Tips To Eat Healthy Over The Holidays:

1. Don’t Go On An Empty Stomach

One of the biggest mistakes a lot of people end up making when they attend a holiday meal is going to it without eating anything. When you starve yourself for a holiday meal, you will end up consuming a lot more than if you have something in your stomach. Try to consume a fat and protein-rich breakfast on the day you will be having a holiday meal. Adding foods to your breakfast like whole eggs can help to ensure you have slow-digesting nutrients to keep you satiated for longer.

2. Eat The Healthy Stuff First

One of the best ways to ensure that you eat a lot more healthily during the holidays is by filling yourself with foods that are good for you. While the holiday serving table may not be full of healthy foods, you’re certainly going to find something. Whether it’s steamed carrots or something else, try to serve yourself some of them first. By eating vegetables first, you can curb some of the hunger you’ve built up from smelling the delicious food being cooked.

3. Eat Slower

One of the reasons why a lot of people end up overeating during the holidays is because they gobble up everything on their plates so quickly. One of the best and easiest ways to avoid overeating is by slowing down. Practice mindful eating and you will eat less. Hunger hormones signal to your brain whenever you get hungry. However, it can take the signals as much as 20 minutes to communicate [2]. This means that you may continue eating when you’re already full. This can cause you to eat a lot more than you would have if you simply slowed down during the meal.

4. Don’t Drink Alcohol

Not only is drinking alcohol a way to add more empty calories to your holiday diet, but it’s also going to lower your blood sugar levels and cause you to feel hungrier and eat more. If possible, try to avoid drinking alcohol during the holidays if you want to keep from consuming too many calories and gaining weight.

5. Drink More Water

What you do want to drink is more water. As many as 37% of people mistake thirst for hunger [3]. Drink more water throughout the day and you will find yourself eating less during the holidays.

6. Allow Yourself To Indulge

An excellent way to ensure that you don’t get carried away during the holidays is by allowing yourself to cheat a little bit. Give yourself a small slice of your favorite pie. As long as you control your portions, you can still enjoy yourself while eating healthier during the holidays. Try to incorporate more exercise into the mix to burn those excess calories. By restricting yourself too much during the holidays, you may find yourself consuming more calories in other areas.

As you can see, you don’t have to pack on pounds during the holidays. There are things you can do to eat healthier. The key is managing your blood sugar levels and controlling your hunger. Try to eat more mindfully and you can get through the holidays without adding inches to your waistband.