Avoid Holiday Weight Gain with Portion Control

It happens every year to most of us. Whether it's the cookies and candy or the favorite meals that mom only cooks once a year, the holiday season brings on added temptation that most of us can't seem to avoid. I love food. I just can not see telling people to skip a favorite treat or even to stay away from something as sinful as gravy. It would never work for me. There is no way I'd go to a family gathering for Christmas and skip anything.

I've always had to watch my weight. I've always felt it was really unfair too because I absolutely love to eat. I have brothers and sisters that could eat all day long and never gain a pound but that type of eating would turn me into a house. I've had to modify my eating habits to be able to survive in a family full of people that can eat anything. It's really not as hard as you might think. There are some holiday portion control tips that will help get any food lover through the season. Here are a few simple tricks I use to avoid holiday weight gain.

Eat Sensible Foods Before Attending Holiday Parties.
We all know that drinking plenty of water will help keep us feeling full but water isn't always enough. If you are going to attend a Christmas party this year where you'll be eating all your favorites, this simple tip might be the trick to keep you from packing on holiday pounds. Don't go to the party hungry and ready to devour everything in sight. Eat a very healthy meal before leaving for the party. Arrive feeling full and you'll easily be able to keep your food portions under control. Be sure to sample every favorite treat rather than having a full serving of each. You'll still get to taste everything and you'll find yourself satisfied in more than one way.

Think COW.
First, picture yourself as a cow and remember how important it is to you not to turn into one. Then, remember that the best way to keep from becoming a cow is to eat like one. It might seem crazy but grazing is one of the best tricks to use to avoid holiday weight gain. We all want to indulge in special things during the holiday season. We should all get to. We can, as long as portion control is kept in check. Remember the cow and graze over all your holiday treats. Little portions and little bites are the key to staying little yourself.

Smaller Glasses / More Ice :
It's incredible how many calories can be packed into one little shot of liquor. During the holidays, people tend to drink festive yet very high calorie drinks that might not be a part of their normal routine. These drinks can pack on pounds every bit as fast as cheesecake. I'm not one to ever advise people to skip a treat. My advice on holiday cheer is to use smaller glasses and more ice. It's that simple. Have some of that Christmas eggnog. Just be sure to have it in a small cup.

Portion Divided Plates :
If you're throwing any holiday parties this season, use this tip to help yourself and others. Purchase portion divided plates. This will help everyone attending your party to enjoy several treats and still keep portion control. It will also make cleaning up after the party much easier for you. You can purchase sturdy paper plates that are divided into portions. It's a simple tip that will save you time and trouble and will help to keep you from holiday weight gain.

Purchase Portioned Items :
I can never skip a chance to mention and think about cheesecake. Never skip cheesecake. Instead, this holiday season, purchase a cheesecake that's already sliced into reasonable portions. If you're going to bake your own cheesecake, be sure to slice the entire cake before putting it out, and keep the portions reasonable. This same tip can apply to any holiday food. Whatever you're serving, if you can portion it before putting it out, you'll be helping yourself and others to avoid gaining weight this holiday season.

These tips may seem simple, and they are. They also really work. There are obvious rules that we should never forget , such as drinking plenty of water and getting appropriate exercise. If you use all of your strengths and remember to keep portion control at the front of your mind, you should be able to avoid gaining any real weight this holiday season. If you do happen to indulge a bit too much, my best advice is to dance it all off on New Year's Eve.