You’re at a holiday party; you swear you’re going to eat well and not go down that rabbit hole of eating one goody after another until you feel so full you can’t move. But, you do. And the next morning you wake up with a raging headache, or stomach ache or your entire body aches. Ah, the holidays.
Sound familiar? It does to me. I did it for years and was miserable until I finally decided I’d had enough. Actually, my closet decided that for me; all I had left to wear were a couple of pairs of stretch pants and a bunch of baggy shirts. I sure as heck wasn’t going to spring for a whole new wardrobe in a bigger size. So, I learned. I learned how to overcome my cravings, first by learning WHY I had the cravings and then I learned how to handle them. Here are a few simple strategies to overcome those cravings without deprivation:
#1 DO NOT SHOW UP HUNGRY. because if you do, it will be a disaster. One look at the table laden with tons of dishes that call to your very being and that’s it; your goose is cooked (sorry, I just had to say that!). You have a fighting chance to defeat those cravings if you’re not hungry. So before you leave for the party, take some time to have a healthy snack, like avocado wrapped with turkey slices or a smoothie with protein powder in it.
#2 STAY HYDRATED. If you’re drinking alcohol, be sure to drink a glass of water before AND after each glass of alcohol. Yes, you may pee a lot, whoopdee doo. It’s worth it. If you feel particularly hungry at a party and you’ve already eaten, you might be thirsty instead. Drink a large glass of water and see how you feel.
#3 BE SELECTIVE IN WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK. This means to say no to some things, but not to all things. Be wise and selective in the foods you choose to eat. Foods with flour and sugar are probably not the best choices, as they can fuel the fire of our cravings in a huge way and won’t really fill us up. Eat the best foods first so you fill up on them.
#4 THERE IS NO DEPRIVATION, A.K.A. EAT MINDFULLY. If you want a taste of something, go for it and enjoy every bite. DON’T feel guilty. Make sure you thoroughly chew your food and be genuinely grateful for what you are eating. This can change your mindset.
#5 IF YOU BLOW IT, INDULGE IN SELF-CARE. A warm or room temperature glass of water in the morning with juice from half a lemon in it will get your body started in cleaning out the toxins ingested the night before. Eat plenty of vegetables throughout the day, especially greens to detox your body.
For more ideas on how to handle holiday parties and events, you can download a FREE copy of my Holiday Survival Guide right here
No matter what happens, you don’t have to start over, just continue where you’re at and keep going forward on your health journey. Feel free to share in the comments section below any tips or strategies you use to keep from overdoing it during the holidays – you never know who might benefit from your comment!
P.S. And since it’s now officially winter, now’s the time sign up for my Winter Clean Eating Program – especially if you want to lose a few pounds and clean out your body in the new year. It will start January 12th and comes with over 50 recipes, shopping lists, a private facebook forum where you’ll receive encouragement, support, and tons of information on how to eat clean and reclaim your energy. Click here for more info and to sign up!
