Enjoy holiday meals without overeating
The holidays are just around the corner, and excitement surrounding the food is alive. While people wait for their favorite, decadent holiday meals all year, it’s important to remember to pace yourself. A Baylor College of Medicine registered dietitian explains how to savor holiday meals and prevent overconsumption.
“If you don’t have a medical condition and you’re eating more than you should because it’s a special occasion, you will feel excessively full and sluggish,” said Dr. Luis Rustveld, associate professor of family and community medicine at Baylor.
Most people without medical conditions will notice signs of overeating: uncomfortable fullness, grogginess and fatigue. People who have diabetes might not feel full right way, but their blood sugar will spike. Those with acid reflux may experience increased burning or trouble sleeping due to acid rising into the esophagus. Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal conditions might have diarrhea, cramping or other GI symptoms.
If you are prone to overeating, Rustveld recommends starting the day right with a protein-rich breakfast.
“Start your day with a high-protein breakfast and snack and continue to do what you normally do during the day, then go eat your holiday meal. Protein helps stabilize hunger hormones so you don’t arrive to your next meal overly hungry.”
Good breakfast options include Greek yogurt with fruit, scrambled eggs, tofu, peanut butter or almond butter. Eating a light snack after breakfast also helps keep the appetite steady. Try nuts and seeds, apple with peanut or other nut butter, or cheese with whole-grain crackers.
As you eye the holiday table filled with all kinds of dishes, fill your plate with items you really want instead of getting too much of everything. Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables to help with fullness. Then add holiday favorites like macaroni and cheese, stuffing or pie in smaller portions. Pace yourself, chew food well and do not eat too fast to prevent overindulging.
“You don’t need to be hard on yourself,” Rustveld said. “Just get two things from the table you really want that may be a bit decadent or higher in calories, like macaroni and cheese or pie, then go lighter on other items.”
If you want to eat more, even if you feel too full, give yourself 10 to 15 minutes after your first plate before getting seconds. This brief pause give your stomach time to signal fullness. If you do overeat, going for a short, 10-20-minute walk will help lower blood sugar and ease discomfort.
Over time, consistently eating more than your body needs can lead to gradual weight gain. Consuming an extra 3,500 calories every week may result in gaining about a pound, especially without regular physical activity. Chronic overeating also can worsen medical conditions: people with prediabetes may progress to diabetes, and those with diabetes may experience high or uncontrolled blood sugar.
“During the holidays, it’s ok to indulge a little bit when it’s a special occasion,” Rustveld said. “There is nothing wrong with eating what you normally eat as long as you keep an eye on portions, remain physically active, start your day right by not skipping breakfast and don’t save your hunger for the holiday meal. If you save yourself for that, you will end up eating a whole lot more.”
By Homa Warren
