Enjoy Holiday Meals!

The holiday season can be a detriment to our waistlines. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy holiday food without packing on the pounds.

--Eat a small healthy snack before that big family dinner to avoid a feeling of strong hunger that leads to overeating. You can still have a piece of pie for dessert, but a few almonds before dinner might mean that you will be satisfied with a small slice of pie versus the whole pie.
--Use small plates for the meal. Large plates make healthy portions look like Barbie food. You will convince yourself that the Barbie food is not enough to satisfy you before you even get started eating. Smaller, healthier portions will look satisfying.
--Put your utensils down between bites and eat slowly to give your stomach time to register the full signal. Make certain to sit next to someone you like at dinner so that you can talk and enjoy the company as you eat SLOWLY. This technique can be a bit challenging if you sit by someone you are not really fond of.
--STOP eating when you begin to feel full. The minute you start feeling full...you are done eating. Put your plate in the sink and enjoy the company. Holiday dinners typically take a few days to finish off. Remind yourself that you can eat another healthy portion of turkey again for your next meal when you feel hungry again. You do not need to eat the whole bird at one meal.

Mind your mind and enjoy the holidays!
Kelly