Curbing those holiday cravings can lead to less weight gain ahead of the new year

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - The holidays can be a time for fun, family, and food, but during all the festive activities you may not realize that those foods are causing weight gain.

Some seasonal activities encourage overeating and consumption of high-calorie foods, all while the cold weather can make it hard to exercise.

A combination of the two can lead to unnoticed and unnecessary weight gain, making it more difficult to get back on track in the new year.

“Maybe seeing holidays as isolated events, not viewing the holidays from Thanksgiving clear to New Year’s Day, but in fact seeing them as individual events, however many events there are, it might be three it might be six. But seeing each one as an isolated event rather than a whole season of eating,” says Dietician Donna Riley. She continues with some tips on how to avoid gaining those holiday pounds.

“When you are full, distance yourself from food. So, an example might be if you can leave the table or sit the farthest you can from the buffet, but another idea is, if you can’t leave the table, or you don’t want to leave the table then take your plate and take your silverware and take them to the kitchen and make it more difficult for yourself to take second helpings.”

One way to combat overeating is to choose a healthy portion of your favorites, instead of trying all the different kinds of foods being offered.

“It’s important not to come really hungry to a meal. It’s when we come, like we’ve saved up for that meal that we’re more likely to overeat and we’re also more likely to eat fast. It’s when we eat fast that we eat more than we really need,” Riley continues.

According to Riley you want to focus on larger portions of nutrient-dense foods that are lower in calories, it’s important to stick to regular meals to not overindulge.

“Well in reality you probably just want to keep your normal routine. If you normally eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, try to keep that routine. It’s okay, I think, to cut back on those meals but don’t skip them, just eat in routine. Potentially eat less, but again don’t skip meals,” Riley finishes.

Sticking to your regular eating habits and making sure to enjoy three meals a day can curb any extra cravings around the holidays. Being in the habit of eating healthily before, can make it easier to return to your usual eating routine.

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