It’s almost too impossible to resist. When we attend or host a holiday gathering, it’s REALLY hard to avoid placing “just a taste” of everything on your plate — just to be polite. Thing is, that tiny taste of 10 different dishes can fill up an entire plate anyway.
So how do we control maintaining our weight or even staying on an eating regimen designed to lose weight over the holidays? It’s not that I want you to insult your hosts or not even taste your own food. It’s that mantra of “be moderate in all things.” Another way of saying it is “portion control.”
As we told you last year at this time, there are a few hacks for you to try. First, don’t load up your plate to begin with. When you do, you tend to eat it all. Instead, graze. Take a few repeated trips to the buffet, taking only a few tidbits at a time. Evidence suggests that the sizes of plates, spoons, and glasses can unconsciously influence how much food you eat. Large plates make food appear smaller, leading to unconscious overeating.
Did you know that studies show that people using a large bowl ate 77% more pasta than those using a medium-sized bowl, and the same thing happened with ice cream? How aware were they of the difference? Not much, it seems. So swap your usual plate, bowl or serving spoon for smaller ones to reduce the helping of food you take.
Another tip we told you last year: smaller plates can also be used as a portion guide. Once you determine your “rations,” consider using half a plate for veggies or salad, and a quarter of the plate for high-quality protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, etc. Another quarter can go for complex carbs (grains or starchy vegetables), and add only half a teaspoon for high-fat stuff -- cheese, oils, butter. This is, of course, a rough guide. Everyone has different dietary needs depending on activity levels, whether they are on a fat-loss regimen, or simply hope not to blow it over the holidays.
Filling up on vegetables and salad is key here and can aid you in avoiding overeating calorie-dense foods. If you’re a female, figure on a palm-sized portion for high protein food, a fist size for salads and veggies, a cupped hand portion for high-carb delights, and a thumb-sized dollop of butter, oils, nuts, and high-fat food items.
As for eating out, you know you’ll be tested. Healthline says restaurant serving sizes are, on average up to a whopping EIGHT times larger than the average at-home dinner. Try asking for a half portion or a children’s dish. If that is not possible, request a box right then and there (when they are serving your meal) and place whatever constitutes one or two more meals inside it for leftovers. Sharing meals is a great idea too.
Water is another hack to help you through the food-dense holidays. Drinking a glass of water up to a half hour before a meal aids in portion control, making you feel less hungry. It can also help you distinguish between hunger and thirst. Studies show that middle-aged and older adults who drank 17 ounces of water before each meal resulted in a 44% greater decline in weight over 12 weeks, most likely due to reduced food intake.
I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. It has been our pleasure helping you get or stay fit in 2022. May the coming year bring you even more success on your fitness journey!
Hugs,