Now that you’ve handled your relationship with food. Let’s get down to real actions you can take before you head out to that holiday party or parties. If you haven’t read the post about how to examine your relationship with food, I highly recommend you check it out here.
So there are a few critical things that you can do to dramatically reduce your chances of blowing all your hard work to keep the pounds off this holiday season. I’m going to break them down for you right here. In the next post I’m going to cover how to structure your meals so that even if you do go overboard, you can still stay on track.
1. Eat before you get there.
Part of the reason people over indulge at holiday parties is simply because they show up to the party hungry. Every been to the grocery store when your stomach in growling at you? It’s painful when you get to the cash register. Not only do you overbuy, but you are more likely to buy things that you don’t need or wouldn’t ordinarily put in your shopping cart. The sight of food when you are starving would make Yoda tremble. Why put yourself in that position? Instead go prepared for battle, and eat a good dinner or hearty before the party. This way you are in much more of a rational state of mind to make decisions about what you put in your mouth.
If your issue is eating even though you are full, then you should definitely read or re-read PART 1.
2. Decide your Reason for NOT going overboard.
This should probably be number 1, but I’m just gonna keep it here. If you know why you are not abstaining from the 5 glass of champagne or the 10th cookie, then it is much easier to say no. For instance, if you know that you have a weight loss goal of 10lbs and you have been working steadily towards that goal, and you know that going overboard any one of these events will put you back to where you started or worse, then eating that last cookie won’t seem worth it. Many of my boot camp and training clients have come to me to say that they didn’t eat that last slice of cake or drink that beer simply because it’s not worth it to them. They work their booties off in their sessions, sweating towards their goals and it’s as if all of a sudden those temptations just aren’t as appealing anymore. Those extra few hundred calories are not worth the amount of time, energy and effort they have put in to reaching their goals.
3. Chew gum.
Seems silly, but often, the reason we eat is to have something to do with our mouths when we aren’t talking. So by chewing gum at a party for at least of the time, you are cutting down on the opportunity to consume sugar-filled, tummy fattening calories. As long as you don’t chew like a cow or smack it, it can be totally appropriate at most gatherings. And the sweetness will satisfy your sugar craving.
4. Drink drinks ou
t of tall glasses instead of short wide ones.
High end bars and restaurants do this all the time to trick you into thinking that you are getting than you are. Tall skinny glasses hold less liquid then the short fat ones, even though we think they are the same. You usually drink out of them slower as well simply because not as much comes out at once. By using the tall glasses, you will consume less and have to refill less often. If you can find one, do it!
5. Have an accountability partner go with you.
Whether it’s you partner or spouse or friend, go with someone who you’ve told to hold you accountable. Decide at which point you want to stop and tell your accountability partner before you go the party. They should gently remind of you what you told to when you have reached that point. You should choose someone reliable and who is truly interested in helping you stay on track with your goals. If your best friend is a drunk and will most likely be trashed before the end of the night, you many want to pick someone who can keep an eye on you as opposed to the other way around.
6. Where something tight.
Everyone hates that uncomfortable feeling when you’ve eaten much and you want to loosen your pants but lo and behold, the belt is as loose as it will go. If you are already wearing something tight, you will be less inclined to make it any more uncomfortable throughout the evening. This is especially true for ladies if you are wearing a dress or outfit that hugs your figure. Too much beer, wine, and hor’devours will make it difficult to feel sexy all night long. For most people, looking hot is better than feeling fat.
7. Alternate everything with water.
A good way to pace yourself is to promise yourself that you will drink at least once glass of water in between drinks and snacks. It’s important to promise yourself to drink in between both drinks AND food. This tactic works well for a variety of reasons. First, you will always have something in your hand, making it less tempting to pick up something else because at least one hand in occupied. Second, the water will fill you up so you won’t have as much room for all the goodies. Third, you are less likely to get sloshed because you only have room for so much liquid in your stomach. And lastly, you won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself because you are not saying “no” to the treat, you are just saying “yes” to more water.
8. Go overboard. But ONLY Once.
Sometimes you just need to be bad. This technique works well for those that just can’t seem to get enough sweets. I recommend doing this at your first gathering so you aren’t tempted to do it again. Give yourself a time limit. I say about 2 hours. Go to the party or dinner or whatever, and eat and drink AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLE can but only in your allotted time. So say between 8pm and 10pm you are going all out. Eat appetizers, desserts, try at least 2 of everything for those two hours. Eat until your jeans feel snug, and your belly about to explode. Drink more beer and wine. After those 2 hours you can’t eat anything else. Then take a moment and see how you feel. Especially towards the end of the night and the next day. I’m willing to bet you will never want to see another candy cane, malt ball or chocolate square again. 
*Note, this tip is not for the faint of heart or those with eating disorders. It is a bit extreme, but remember the time you got sick off of tequila? For me it was Fritos. I ate too many on a road trip when I around 11 years old. To this day, I can’t even stand the smell of them.
All right. I hope this tips have been helpful. Go forth and party! Part 3 is coming up next. I’m gonna explain a particular eating method with food list that will help even those when all else has failed. Several people have tried this method and have even LOST weight while “cheating” on their “diet.”
What strategies have you used in the past that worked? Let everyone know below. You just might save someone from 5lbs of weight gain this year!
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