5 Tips to Not Gaining 5 Pounds During the Holidays

One of my biggest “mama challenges” is my weight. 

So much so I wait to buy my Halloween candy until the day before because I know I'll begin trick or treating a little early...That kicks off the weight-gain season and last until Jan. 2, when I vow not to ever eat anything unhealthy ever again...ha. (If you've ever taken a look at my Foodspotting shots or my Pinterest Food Board, you know that food, especially the unhealthy stuff, is my downfall.)

Actually not that I don’t know what it is healthy; it’s my control issues that get in the way. I always feel like if I don’t “partake” them I’m missing out. But I’m learning that the only things I am really "missing out" from are wearing the cute clothes I have tucked away in my closet that I wore before I had kids and the years I’d add to my life if I was healthier.

Since the official “party” season has already hit – with my October birthday, Halloween, a trip to Napa and soon Thankgiving, Christmas (and all the stuff in between), I’ve decided to make a plan on how I can try to celebrate WITHOUT packing on the extra weight.  So I’ve enlisted a professional expert to get me moving in the right direction: Susan Albers, Psy.D, author of Eating Mindfully.

Whether you’re throwing a girl get-together or a formal holiday soiree, you can help yourself and your friends eat more mindfully.

Here are some sneaky tips to help your guests avoid eating too much by DO THIS – NOT THAT! Hopefully this might make the holidays something I can really enjoy and not dread after the festivities are over!

Do This!	Not That
Turn the lights down low and play soft music	Fast paced music and bright lights.   A study by a researcher out of Cornell found that people who ate in a fine dining like setting ate less on average 775.3 calories (vs 942.2 calories) than when listening to fast music.  In this atmosphere, people talk more and eat slower.
Red Plates	White plates A study in the journal of Appetite found that people eat less on red plates compared to white or blue.  Whether it is a plate or sign, we think stop when we see red!
Food you Eat with Forks	Appetizers According to the “Pistachio Effect,” food that you can easily pop in your mouth such as appetizers leads to overeating.  Eating slowly with a fork can save you a minimum of 100 calories.
Get out your tall, thin drinking glasses	Short, fat drinking glasses Hide your short glasses!  Drinking alcohol can lead to overeating.  A tall glass creates an optical illusion that you are drinking more than a short wide cup—even though they are exactly the same amount according to research by Dr. Brain Wansink.
Keep the party food in a different room than socializing or place the buffet against the wall	A food buffet in the middle of the room. Research indicates that where you place food matters.   You can save 200 plus calories by moving food off to the side of the room.

So now the challenge begins!