Holiday Help for the Weary Dieter

Although the holidays are a wonderful time of togetherness and spending time with family and friends, food seems to abound at every gathering. To make matters worse, you can’t seem to escape nut and candy bowls, cheese plates and baking whose sight and smell hypnotize even the most disciplined dieters. With this in mind, how do you survive the Christmas season party circuit if you’re on a diet?

1. Keep busy – sometimes we eat out of boredom, so get out there and be the life of the party, the more busy you are talking, the less time you’ll have to gobble the delectable treats.

2. Know your weakness – knowing the foods you can’t resist is a good place to start. If you can’t resist chocolate, don’t go near the dessert table, whereas if you can’t resist salty treats, stick with the healthier choices like fruit and veggie plates.

3. Don’t sit near the food table – holiday parties tend to involve both standing and sitting, and most often, people hover around the main food table. To avoid eating for the sake of eating, choose to strategically sit far from the goodies so you’ll have to physically get up and interrupt your conversation to fill your plate.

4. Eat before – even the healthiest host will have a wide range of munchies to satisfy their guests, therefore, don’t fill up on the wrong things. Eat a healthy meal before your holiday soiree to lessen your chances of chowing down on a) too much, and b) the wrong foods.

5. Limit your alcohol – alcohol contains a lot of calories, so in order to eat calories that count—those with real nutritional value—limit your intake of empty calories found in holiday cocktails. Also, alcohol impedes your judgement, so if you’re trying to be a disciplined eater, don’t risk the way a few extra drinks can woo your decisions.

6. Remember your goal – every dieter has a goal or reason they are dieting. Review that goal before you step out the door to your party. This way, your reason for slimming down will be fresh in your mind as you set your eyes on all the tempting treats.

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