6 Tips for Eating Healthy Over the Holidays

November ushers in the holiday season, that time of year when people gather with friends and family to eat, drink, and be merry. If you’re trying to mind your weight and your health, the eating portion of holiday festivities can be problematic as you encounter tables where yummy foods and sweets are piled high.

Rather than throwing in the towel over the holidays and reversing all of the great steps you’ve taken to improve your health through weight loss, why not switch things up a little?

So you can better navigate the pitfalls of holiday eating, Dr. Sean P. Nikravan and our team have pulled together a few great strategies that can help keep that needle on the scale from going up. At our practice, we offer tailored weight management services to our clients, and here’s a glimpse at how we counsel patients about holiday eating.

1. Graze don’t gorge

If you’re among the nearly three-quarters of Americans who are either overweight or who have obesity, this tip should apply during the holidays and every other time of year.

When you encounter a holiday spread, don’t view it as a challenge in which you need to have a serving of each dish. Think of that buffet as a sampler table, and take only enough of each dish to taste it — just a bite or two. That way you won’t be denying yourself over the holidays, just controlling your portions more.

2. Use a smaller plate

A great way to practice healthy portion control is to use a smaller salad plate as your main plate. If you reduce the amount of real estate upon which you can pile food, you’ll eat much less, especially if you were raised by parents who encouraged you to clean your plate with each meal.

3. Hit the pause button between bites and eat slowly

Your family and friends put some effort into the foods they’re serving, so we want you to truly savor them. If you eat mindfully — taking your time with each bite and pausing between servings — you’ll find that you’ll enjoy your food more without overindulging.

4. Drink plenty of fluids

Another great tip is to keep a glass or bottle of water on hand at all times. Drinking water can help you feel full faster and it can also help prevent dehydration.

5. Move away from the food

Another great hack is to position yourself away from tables laden with snacks and finger foods. If you stand near food, you’re more likely to eat that food, often mindlessly while talking with others.

6. Balance food with exercise

A little indulging over the holidays is perfectly acceptable, especially if you offset it with some good exercise. Go for a walk after your Thanksgiving feast or play a game of tennis the day after your New Year’s Eve celebration.

In this video, our own Dr. Nikravan demonstrates how he balances a delicious brunch with some exercise so he can eat without guilt.

If you’d like to sit down with us to go over best practices for staying on your weight loss path over the holidays, we’re just a phone call or click away. Contact Sean P. Nikravan, MD, in Newport Beach, California, today to schedule a consultation.