Guide to feasting during the festive period
The holiday season is upon us and there is not doubt that there will be feasting involved. Year end parties, Christmas parties, New Year parties are all within weeks, additionally, we have Chinese New Year coming up. All these festive holidays put together may bring upon overindulgence leading to potentially negative consequences to our health. Here’s a guide on how we can prevent this.
Do not feel guilty for celebrating during the holidays
The right mindset with the correct emotions are important to set the foundation. The holiday season brings family and friends together, building social ties and a sense of community which are important factors of health. Some people feel guilty after overeating resulting in negative behaviours such as over exercising to compensate for the extra calories consumed. They may do back to back exercise classes, or run further or faster than they are used to, leading to overload injuries. The same goes with extreme dieting after feasting to compensate which is highly discouraged. This guide will help you navigate through the festive period so you do not have to feel guilty.
2. Do not let feasting turn into a habit.
Habits form when we perform the same action repeatedly over time till it becomes second nature. With continuous feasting, the tendency to continue overeating even when the festivities are over. We have to be mindful that this action of overeating doesn't turn into a behaviour and definitely not a personality. The next point will help us curb this action.
3. Eat till 80% full
When having a meal, we can follow the 80% rule whereby we eat till we are satisfied but not full. Taking total satiety as 100%, what we want to aim for is 80% of that. Once we reach that level, it is time to stop. Sometimes, it involves not finishing everything on your plate which some may feel wasteful about. To curb that emotion, save the leftovers rather than force feeding yourself. Another tip is to eat slower. There may be a lag in satiety controls whereby the message that the stomach is full reaches the brain. Slowing down your speed of eating may prevent overeating as we can stop before going beyond 80%capacity. Do this by chewing your food well before swallowing. Learn how much your body needs and aportion accordingly at the next meal.
4. Select healthier choices when possible
If you are the host or have been delegated to select what to eat, choose healthier options. Healthier options include non-deep fried, non-processed food with the inclusion of fibre. Limit carbohydrate intake or replace them with vegetables. These days, whenever healthier options are suggested for gathering, there is usually very little resistance so give healthier food a voice.
5. Avoid sweetened beverages
It is not uncommon to see an increase in sweetened beverage commercials during the festive season claiming that food tastes better with a certain soft drink, or your festive meal would not be complete without one. Sweetened beverages contain a large amount of calories and if we are already anticipating an increase in food intake, the last thing we want is to hike it even higher with sweetened beverages. Use fruit infused water to replace soft drinks and sweetened beverages to brighten the taste of water. Lemon, mint and cucumbers are great options.
6. Limit or avoid alcohol
Where possible, alcohol should be avoided. It is however inevitable that in most cultures, alcohol is included with celebrations and festivities. One way of limiting alcohol intake is to slow down the pace of drinking. Take micro-sips which are more like just wetting your lips. This will prolong the time taken to finish a drink. Alternatively, always have a glass of water beside your drink and take a sip of water after every sip of alcohol. This dilutes the alcohol content and hence dilutes the harmful effects.
7. Continue your usual exercise regime
Some people forsake their usual exercise regime while others overcompensate and workout extra hard during this period. Both methods are not ideal as the former would lead to reduced physical activity while the ladder would increase the risks of injury. The best way would be to keep to what you are used to during this period neither increasing nor decreasing your exercises. For those who do not usually exercise, it is encouraged to commence light exercises such as walking or swimming and avoid sudden increases in high intensity exercises.
Keeping to these tips would help you survive the festive period while maintaining your health. If you need personalised health coaching, feel free to contact us!
Happy Holidays!
