So often we are guilty of grabbing something to eat and wolfing it down without even thinking or tasting or enjoying whatever it is that we have just swallowed. A few basic rules can really help create mindfulness around eating which in turn can make eating a whole new enjoyable experience to be savoured. Little things like sitting down whenever you eat and removing all electronics around food can be a great start to this process. Other ideas might be to chew slowly and place utensils down between each mouthful. When we eat mindfully we are less likely to overeat and gain weight, great incentive to slow down, relax and enjoy whatever is on your plate.<\/p>\n

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1. Start with protein<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

   Did you know that when we include protein with meals we are less likely to over eat. This is because protein helps us feel fuller and more satisfied, thereby reducing our appetite and hunger. Holiday foods can often be rich in carbohydrates and lack adequate amount of protein. Being mindful about putting a protein rich food like meat, fish or eggs onto your plate first can assist in controlling the overall amount that you eat.<\/p>\n

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   1. Bring a plate<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      This is a sure fire way to ensure that there will be at least one healthy dish at the party! Whilst we cannot be in control of what friends and relatives serve, we can bring some balance by bringing along a healthy (and tasty) dish. This way at least you know you won\u2019t go hungry and won\u2019t be as tempted to indulge in foods you probably wouldn\u2019t usually eat.<\/p>\n

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      1. Alternate your drinks<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         Liquid calories can be one of the biggest traps and alcohol in particular can add a huge amount of calories very quickly. Try alternating your alcohol i.e. in between glasses have a glass of sparkling mineral water (I promise no one will even notice) and you\u2019ll still be a part of the festivities. Red wine is your best choice if you are trying to keep your sugar and carbs down.<\/p>\n

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         1. Keep it real<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            By \u2018real\u2019 I\u2019m referring to whole fresh foods as opposed to processed packaged \u2018stuff\u2019. If your family doesn\u2019t have traditions around cooking food from scratch, why not introduce this now! Shopping for fresh produce, cooking together as a family and then enjoying the end product can be an incredible experience for the whole family (young and old) and the food tastes a heck of a lot better this way too. Packaged processed foods will often have hidden oils, sugars and a heap of other stuff that is going to make weight and health maintenance during this season a lot more tricky. When you prepare your own food, you know exactly what is in it thereby allowing you to maintain control.<\/p>\n

            My final word of advice over this period would be to be kind to yourself<\/strong>. Expect that you might \u2018slip up\u2019 a couple of times and when you do just shrug your shoulders and move forward. There is no benefit in dwelling on this. The important thing is that when this does happen you don\u2019t then decide to throw it all in but rather that you simply continue on and make better choices at your next meal.<\/p>\n

            Happy healthy holidays everyone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Here are my top tips for keeping this silly season as sensible as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[129,130,23,131,132],"yoast_head":"\n