Stuff the Goose, Not Yourself

Posted by Maryan Pelland Dec 5, 2006

Try these simple ways to enjoy the cookies, hams, yams and Yule Logs without paying the price after New Year's Day.

1. Like Scarlett O'Hara, eat something before you go to a party. Really - if you're starving and blood sugar bottoms, you're way more likely to binge. If you eat a bit of healthy protein with a little fat first, you assuage hunger pangs and can nibble like skinny folk do.
2. Stay hydrated. If you drink a good quantity of water thru the day or evening you'll drink less alcohol, eat smaller portions and have more stamina, anyway.
3. Look, it's the Christmas diversion! Think of a dozen other things to do at a social event besides eat. Get into a great conversation, enjoy outdoor decorations, listen to the awesome carols. Eat when you're hungry. Don't hang out by the table, drooling.
4. Nibble. Graze. But rationally, please. Don't ever stuff yourself till you feel full - no matter how good the food. Take a taste here, a bite there. Don't take a whole brownie - share it.. You'll satisfy your need to "get it all" but take in fewer calories. One of the most svelt women I know told me she eats so she's never totally hungry and she never allows herself to get totally full. Claims to have no problem maintaining her weight and she doesn't deny herself the well-orchestrated culinary pleasure.
5. Watch your budget. You can gorge on anything and everything on the table - there are millions of calories there, and maybe they don't count on holidays. Wrong. Try eating only things you absolutely love (portion control, though). Nothing mediocre or poorly prepared. Then the calories are "well-spent."
6. When you graze the buffet, choose stuff that tastes incredibly good, soothing that sense of holiday comfort. Don't overload your plate and keep track of little thingies you just pop in your mouth. How many stuffed olives can you pop in fifteen minutes? My sister, my neice and I devoured an entire jar of the buggers at Thanksgiving before they even made it to the table.
7. Pour sparkling water with pomegranite or blueberry juice once in a while. You don't have to imbibe calorie-filled alcoholic concoctions everytime they appear. Punch is often loaded with fat and calories. Wine and beer, hard liquor, all can end up on your hips if they're a steady-stream through your lips.
8. Walk. Well, get more exercise in general. Anytime you have the chance to take a few steps, take them. Don't ask someone to get something for you - get up and do it. Hide the TV remote for the season and ge tup to switch channels. Park at the end of parking lots (during the day - at night it might be safer to move in closer.) Dance. Play with your grandkids - take them for a walk to see neighborhood lights.

Enjoy a taste of the holidays and find yourself without a new spare tire around your middle when it's all over. Your gift to you.

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Inspiration for this entry came from my favorite healthspot on the Web, Web MD

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