Holidays, Eating, Bloating!
Holiday Eating = Digestive Trouble! Raise your hand if you can already smell the turkey coming out of the oven, or if your mouth is watering for mom’s pumpkin pie made from scratch. Well, good luck with that looming holiday bloat.
Christmas, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, Weddings, Birthdays… all wonderfully exciting times. But, whatever you celebrate and however you celebrate, there is always plenty of food.
At this time of year, when the snow is falling, and the air is fresh and crisp, we look forward to sharing food and devoting time to our loved ones. It is a time of reflection, abundance, and thankfulness. We are fortunate, but with fortune comes overindulgence.
Abundance is a gift that fills, not only our dinner plates, but our digestive systems. Overindulgence and the food groups that we combine during the holidays turns our digestive systems into a perfect storm! Let’s face it… who isn’t reaching for seconds of homemade stuffing!
per·fect storm – noun
- a particularly bad or critical state of affairs, arising from a number of negative and unpredictable choices – in this case, food.
Here are 3 tips to help manage that food coma, make sure you manage that holiday bloat, and still enjoy your dinner.
Eat Your Veggies First.
Instead of reaching for the buns and stuffing first, load your plate with the vegetable dishes that are available to you and eat those first. By consuming your vegetables first, you are feeding your body nutrient dense, full calorie foods. Breads, which contain “empty calories”, fail to create a satiating effect and prompt you to keep placing your hand in that breadbasket.
Slow Down, Breathe, Be Mindful.
Are you actually still hungry? Or are you simply reloading your plate for a second time just because it tastes, smells and looks so good and is sitting right in front of you. This is a great time to practice mindful eating. It is very easy to stuff food in our mouth, forgetting to chew it, at big holiday meals. Make sure to chew your food, drink your water, put your fork down and socialize a little bit between bites. These tips may help you stop yourself when you know that your stomach is full and you have had enough. Remember, your stomach is only the size of your fist! Yep!
Make Your Contribution Count!
When planning holiday dinners, it is not unusual for the host person to ask family members to contribute a dish. This is your chance to make something you know is top quality good for you! Get creative with your thoughts here. Search online for healthy, sugar free recipes. Have you considered offering to make dessert? Instead of purchasing cakes, cookies, or tarts from the grocery store loaded with sugar and bad fats – have some fun in the kitchen and make a homemade dessert using naturally sweet foods. Homemade is always tastier anyways, and your table compatriots may actually enjoy your sugar light, made with love treat! Sugary desserts are sure to give you an uncomfortable holiday belly bloat!
Holiday food = belly bloat!
That’s no secret. But, however you celebrate and with whomever you celebrate, make sure you do what’s best for you. Don’t be pressured to take a second or third helping if you are satisfied with your first. Your body, your decision. Drink lots of water, especially if you are drinking wine. Enjoy not only the meal, but the people partaking with you. Afterall, the holidays are a time for catching up and chilling out.
We wish all of you a very happy, yummy, and love-filled holiday and a very Merry Christmas!
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