Sandra J Wilson, Founder of Sandra’s Empower Wellness (2018-present) Answered just now

September 14, 2018

Thanks for the question. J. Hatfield!

To avoid overeating during the holidays or any day for that matter, one would need to be totally aware of what works for them and what doesn’t.

Do you have an idea of what foods are good for you and which ones aren’t? And I’m not talking about “healthy” food necessarily, although that is a good start. I’m referring to food sensitivities. Are you aware of any?

Are you having or noticing any digestive issues after you eat something? Feeling lethargic or having pain in your gut? Headaches? Gaseous? Constipated? Yes? No? For me, it’s dairy. For some, it’s gluten.

I’m not allergic to dairy, but I definitely have a sensitivity to it. It does not sit well with me and causes a whole host of issues that sometimes take 1 or 2 days for me to get back to normal! So be aware of those foods and try to avoid them.

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I think when we go “out” to a restaurant or to someone’s home, we tend to overeat and/or consume what we may not normally eat. Why? We think it’s polite. Or we say to ourselves, “I can’t cook this at home,” so we indulge in more desserts, or fries, or whatever your weakness is. It’s so easy to go overboard.

You want to try everything, and lots of it! Especially if it’s buffet style. A huge table with a wide variety of every food you could ever possibly think of, all in one place

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If you have self-control, then I suggest you indulge in a little bit of everything. Don’t deprive yourself, especially if you don’t do this very often.

But if you do this often and it’s worrisome to you, then my suggestion would be to eat something prior to going to the party, restaurant, or friend’s place for the celebration. If you are satiated, you will be less likely to overdo it.

If you are drinking alcohol, drink a glass of water in between each beverage to keep your senses hydrated. Try to keep to 2 drinks max, but if you can’t, then make sure you drink the water!

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What I have found over the years is that many times when we feel we are depriving ourselves, we tend to overdo it, and not necessarily that evening; it could be a binge the next day.

So I really believe that if you allow yourself to have a little bit of everything and eat slowly, you will feel that you are indulging without the guilt, and in the end, you will feel good about yourself. You will feel really good the next day!

TIPS/GUIDELINES:

EAT SLOWLY. Enjoy the company you are with, and chew your food. Take the time to enjoy the whole experience. Don’t rush. Take a small bite of everything you desire (within reason) so as not to feel deprived. Drink water for every glass of alcohol.

The whole idea behind “The Holidays” really is to spend time with the people you care about and love. It’s not supposed to be about the food, but most of the time that’s what happens, so in that case, eat consciously, enjoy the company you are with, and laugh a lot!

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