Late Fall through early Winter can be a minefield for many people when it comes to healthy eating. A lot of people who are careful through the rest of the year relax at this time of the year, with all the various temptations out there. Whether it’s the leftover Halloween candy, the food that only comes out once per year, the cookie swaps, the stress of being with or without family, many people have a hard time controlling what they eat at this time of the year.
Here are some tips on trying to maintain some control through these last few months:
1. Look at what you are struggling with. Do you feel compelled to enjoy those last few pieces of candy lying around from Halloween? Is this the only time that this item is available and you want to eat enough for the whole season? Are you stressed (for any of a multitude of reasons) and tend to eat your stress away?
2. Give yourself permission to indulge – a little. Choose your favorite item, and allow yourself to enjoy it, but don’t overdo it. Set a limit on how much of this food you should eat in a sitting or a day, and stick to that. Allow yourself 1 bite of each food if it’s the combined tastes that you enjoy. Use a smaller plate or make only 1 trip to the buffet line.
3. Ensure that you are generally eating healthy foods in appropriate quantities so that when you do indulge, it isn’t going to make too much of a difference.
4. Keep your water intake up as many people mistake thirst for hunger.
5. Work on keeping your stress under control – get a decent amount of sleep, exercise on a regular basis, have someone that you can use as a sounding board (a friend, a family member or a counselor).
6. Enjoy your holidays!
