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The majority of people find themselves carrying additional fat once the holidays are over. Worst of all, most of them never lose this extra weight. Over the years, few pounds gained over the holidays here and there add up to 10, 20, 30 pounds of excess fat!
To avoid falling into the holiday fat trap, follow these simple tips:
1. Don't deprive yourself. Munching on a green salad while everyone is feasting on turkey and stuffing is just not worth it. You will end up miserable, and chances are you'll binge at home or on the next party. Depriving yourself once is likely to cause you to eat everything in sight the next day to "compensate" for your suffering.
2. Don't stuff yourself. You are not a turkey, after all! :-) Remember, this is not the last time in your life that you can eat.
3. Eat a small meal several hours before the party. This will prevent you from being too hungry when faced with abundant menu. When you are not starving, you can think with your brain, and not with your stomach.
4. Eat slowly. It takes our body about 20 minutes to realize that we are full. Also, the slower you eat, the less food you'll eat as opposed to eating fast in the same amount of time.
5. Be aware of what you are eating. It's easy to get carried away in conversation, and eat way too much before you know it. Don't automatically go for more helpings while you are talking to someone.
6. If you are cooking the food, prepare healthier versions of traditional dishes. Don't go too far by trying to completely cut out the fat. Just make some slight changes such as mashing potatoes with low-fat milk, adding less butter to the food, and serving more salads and veggies. Or make the stuffing in a casserole dish outside of turkey, so it does not soak up the extra fat.
7. Deal with the food-pushing hosts by complimenting them. When they try to force more food on you, smile. Say how much you love their food, but unfortunately you are so full, you can't get in another bite. And that you'll be delighted if they gave you some of this food to take home, if there is anything left after the party!
8. Choose the turkey breast meat, since it has fewer calories then dark meat. Also, most of the fat in a turkey is contained in the skin. So, if you can, don't eat the skin. Skinless turkey breast is actually a healthy choice. But go easy on a fat-laden gravy!
9. Eat small amounts of various foods, as opposed to large portions of few foods. Sampling everything on the menu will leave you more satisfied since you've tried everything there is. But remember, moderation is key.
10. Eat that dessert. The trick here is to eat a small piece of it. This way you can have your cake and eat it too!
Melanie Mendelson is the author of Practical Weight Loss - the healthy way to lose weight and keep it off. Visit Melanie's site at http://www.practical-weight-loss.com
