Scenario #1: The Holiday Party Buffet “I’ll have one more bite of that delicious fondue. Just another sip of wine.” A little won’t hurt, right? Not so fast. The little sips and tiny bites add up quickly. Grazing at a buffet style event is a recipe for overindulging.
Solution: Only eat from a plate and once you’re done with the first helping, get rid or your plate. Position yourself as far from the food table as possible. The same goes for adult beverages. Finish your glass before having more. Don’t allow someone to pour more in your glass before finishing. It’s too hard to keep track of how much you’ve had.
Scenario #2: “Come on. You can have a little more” or “You HAVE to try my new recipe”. Sound familiar? It’s so easy to give into food pushers, who aren’t literally cramming calories down your throat but they might as well be. You are allowing them to sabotage your health goals. That’s right: YOU! Yes, YOU! Did I get my point across?
Solution: Remember, you control what goes on your plate and in your mouth. No one else can! Stay strong, and have a solid rebuttal statement to get people off your back. The more you do it the easier it gets. You might hurt a few feelings temporarily but most of the time people will respect your commitment to health (although they might poke fun at you in the moment).
Scenario #3: It Only Comes ‘Round Once A Year and Grandma’s pecan pie is the best! Pumpkin lattes and cranberry (500 calorie a slice) bars are offered for a limited time only. After January 1, you’ll have to wait another 9-10 months to get it again. Might as well enjoy as much as possible while you can, right?
Solution: Compromise. Have a smaller amount or set a limit to holiday treats like one flavored latte per week. Just don’t let yourself have one of every holiday special! Also, remember that you’ll get to have it next year and the less you have it the more of a treat it is.
Scenario #4: Leftovers Galore You do good the day of the celebration but the overflowing fridge needs help.
Solution: Cook less is the simple solution. Other options are send visitors home with food or freeze some to use later. I hate throwing away food too and avoid it as much as possible but if it comes down to it I’ll throw stuff away before eating something just so it won’t go bad.
Scenario #5: Gifts ‘O Plenty Cookie exchanges. Boxes of candy. Fruit cake and holiday breads. Jars of this and platters of that. Food is a common way to show thanks and everyone eats, making it a reliable default gift.
Solution: Share it with others. Take it to your office, church, or local nursing home. The other option is to practice amazing portion control. Most baked goods and sweet treats like candy can be frozen for months, allowing you to take out one spritz cookie or piece of fudge at a time.