Repost from Dr Amy Lee.
Holidays and special occasions are the easiest time to overeat and wreck your diet. All that delicious food is just so tempting…
That’s why studies have shown that people often eat up to 4,500 calories during a holiday feast. That’s two whole days of food… in one meal! Talk about a waistline-ruiner…
The good news is that it’s easier than you might think to avoid this… and still enjoy your occasions.
You see, I’ve got an amazingly simple routine I want to show you. It helps you enjoy your food — without overdoing it.
The routine has two parts — BEFORE the feast… and DURING the feast:
Before the Feast:
Eat normal meals before the big feast. Don’t skip breakfast or lunch, or eat reduced-size meals. That idea of “saving your appetite” means you’ll sit down to dinner hungrier — and be more tempted to overeat.
Avoid the appetizers, snacks, and calorie-filled beverages. Yes, they’re delicious. But they aren’t worth the extra calories.
During the Feast:
For the following 5 steps, make sure you have a tall glass of unsweetened tea or water to go along with your meal.
Take small portions of food. Don’t feel like you need to fill your plate. For one thing, the old “clean your plate” syndrome usually kicks in — even if you feel stuffed. And if you’re still hungry, you can always have seconds.
Take a small bite, put down your silverware, and thoroughly chew your food before swallowing it. This will force you to eat more slowly… which means you’ll eat less. Also, putting down your utensils removes the temptation to quickly take another bite. And that extra chewing helps you digest your food better.
Take a sip of your tea or water. This will slow down your eating AND make you feel full faster.
Engage someone in a bit of conversation. For one thing, it’s a great way to catch up with family and friends you might not see often. But it also keeps you from eating too fast.
Repeat steps 2 through 4.
Here’s why this routine works like clockwork:
It takes 20-30 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s full. This routine forces you eat more slowly and get full faster… giving your brain time to get the message BEFORE you overeat.
The result: You won’t feel like you’re ready to explode when you leave the table — and you won’t have “eater’s remorse” for overdoing it.
And best of all… you’ll stay on track with your health and weight goals! If you need a nutritional program or plan at this time of year, check out my Promotions page.
In good health,
Diva Coach Cass
DEMA Health 