We humans are a funny creature. There’s something we love about stuffing ourselves silly at holiday meals, even if we feel awful after it.
I’ve gone through more than a few holiday feasts on both ends of the spectrum: trying to make race weight for a fall event while sadly munching celery in the corner – to post season binging, where I could hardly roll myself out of my chair after.
I can easily say my best festive meals were balanced. Enough great food to leave me feeling satisfied, without so much I felt stuffed.
1. Drink a ton of water pre-festivity. Not so much you’re going to land in the hospital with hyponatremia… but enough you’re not thirsty and compensating for mild dehydration with food.
2. Try to time a quick and dirty quality workout before dinner. Your body will then be primed to soak up those calories and put them to good use. Plus food tastes so much better after a workout. Doesn’t it?
3. Stick to the veggie plate for appies and the fruit plate for dessert. Think more about “sampling” the other stuff.
4. Eat your meal on a big bed of greens. Not only will they provide you with a huge hit of nutrients and fill you up, but it’s hard to fit a ton of stuff on your plate when lettuce is threatening to push everything else off.
5. Don’t wear sweat pants… or pyjama pants. Wear pants that don’t give. And for god sakes don’t open the button.
6. I also try not to waste empty calories on stuff I don’t love or isn’t special. If someone baked their grandma’s age old pumpkin pie recipe from scratch, hell yeah I’m eating that. If someone brought cookies from Costco however, not so much. Unless you LOVE cookies from Costco, then those empty calories were not in vain.
7. Relax and enjoy yourself. If someone asked you if you think you could loose 100lbs by only eating kale once a month for a whole day, you’d probably roll your eyes. Same goes with indulging. The key is to not tax your digestive system so much you feel awful… while enjoying a day you will never get to see again with family, friends and food 🙂
Wait, does Costco even sell cookies?
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