Written by: Chris Huffman, Certified Personal Trainer
It’s that season again…the season of ceaseless snacking. And why not? There is just so much deliciousness to take part in. After Thanksgiving I told myself that I would take a break from snacks of the sugary variety until the week of Christmas. That lasted a few hours. Then peppermint bark gelato happened (I hear you peppermint bark haters. I don’t care what you say!). I’m not saying it’s impossible to eschew all holiday goodies. If you can, good for you! I’m certainly not going to label you a Grinch.
For many, though, snacks are as important to their celebration as a tree or gifts. The sharing of snacks encourages more than just the expansion of our waistlines. Food and snacks bring people together and are an integral part of community, tradition, and fun (of course)!
Perhaps what we need is moderation. But how exactly do we make that happen?
I want to suggest two simple rules.
PLATE YOUR FOOD
I want to challenge you this holiday season to put your snacks on a plate. I know it sounds so basic, but simple, small steps can lead to big results over time. And hey, even small results are better than no results. How often do you walk by the cookie tray, grab a cookie, and then return again and again? When you add the step of plating the cookie you have to think a little longer before deciding to eat that cookie. You also have the visual of an empty plate when you finish the cookie. This may help to signal to your when you finish the cookie.
MINDFULNESS
This one is so hard for me. Sloooooow down. If you’re like me you have a tendency to scarf your food. It’s so easy to overeat when you do this. You don’t realize you’re full until, suddenly, you can’t move. Mindless eating is so counterintuitive when eating delicious treats. You really don’t enjoy what you are eating to the fullest. If we are going to eat empty calories then we better enjoy it for goodness’ sake! Practice an appreciation of the smells and tastes of the season. Enjoy your food, friends, and family this season! Let us know if you try these simple rules. We would love to hear your experiences!