3 Top Tips To Avoid Overeating During The Christmas Period

It can seem like an impossible task – stopping yourself from overeating at Christmas.

While indulging and treating yourself to some food and drinks that you wouldn’t normally have can be fun, sometimes we can take it too far. We’re not saying don’t eat whatever you like on Christmas Day – no way! On the actual day of Christmas we believe in treating yourself and placing no restrictions on your diet.

The trouble starts when we take the whole of the festive period off (which is usually Dec 1st- Jan 1st). Doing this can put you backwards on your progress, and make you feel a bit disappointed. But don’t stress – this can be easily avoided by following a few top tips.

1. Plan when you’ll eat out The bane of any dieter’s life (or anyone trying to maintain a calorie deficit) is eating out. That’s because you don’t always know what’s in the food, or the calorie and macronutrient value. Plus, when you eat out you’re much more likely to overindulge because portion sizes are normally bigger, and we all take a “treat yourself” mentality.

   One way to help yourself get over this hurdle is planning when you’ll be eating out. If you can limit your eating out to once a week, you’re unlikely to gain weight. Follow the 80-20 rule: 80% of the time eat clean whole foods, and 20% of the time eat whatever you like.

2. Don’t eat just for the sake of itMany of us have a diet mentality that tells us we have to restrict our diet. During the times when we’re not restricted, it’s like we think we have a free pass so we tend to go a little bit crazy.

   Christmas is one of those times, and many of us use it as an opportunity to fill ourselves up with as much food as we like, and then start a diet in the New Year. In reality, this attitude will see us struggle to develop a healthy relationship with food.

   Try and build awareness of hunger in the body before eating, to be sure that you’re not just eating for the sake of it. At Christmas we should all be eating delicious Christmas food when hungry, but also giving our body a break when we’re not.

   

3. Use smaller portions, but keep the varietyThe problem with Christmas is that the good food doesn’t stop coming. It really is a first world problem that we are so blessed to have. But when there are so many amazing food options, it can be hard to say no.

   Having smaller portions means you don’t necessarily have to say no, and can sample all the food you love but just in smaller amounts. This way, you’ll actually enjoy the food more and be able to try lots of flavours without eating so much that you feel unwell.

Join 20PerFit to get your 2022 fitness plan together

So there you have it! Our top 3 ways to limit overeating at Christmas.

If you want to start planning ahead for the New Year, why not reach out to book some sessions either in the studio or via a mobile PT? We’d love to help you plan your 2022 fitness goals.

In the meantime, have an amazing Christmas and New Year and we look forward to seeing you soon!